


My Love Is A Souvenir

by Fernedakki



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, Drug Use, Drug-Induced Sex, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Angst, Heartbreaking, Infidelity, Liverpool F.C., M/M, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Romance, Sexual Violence, Shameless Smut, Smut, Travel, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-09-05
Packaged: 2018-03-28 17:01:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 55
Words: 80,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3862603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fernedakki/pseuds/Fernedakki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daniel met Fernando at a yacht party in Ibiza and fell in lust with him. Since Fernando's job required him to travel often, from then on they trysted around Europe and what Daniel discovered during their journeys was something that would change his life forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act 1: Ibiza (Chapter 1/9)

**Author's Note:**

> This work was originally written in 2010. It is an un-beta'ed work.

Daniel stepped on the concrete ground of Marina of Santa Eulària des Riu with his backpack slinging across his shoulder. In front of him, a number of glamorous yachts aligned imposingly on the rippled dark water of the Mediterranean Sea. Hip-hop music blasted out of the subwoofers aboard a craft interleaved with laughter of throngs obscurely seen from here. The salty smell of night-ocean struck the Dane’s nose and he closed his eyes, deeply breathed in with content. Aside from the scent of the sea, he could smell luxurious cigarettes, expensive wine and pricey marijuana mingling together.

A cheerful whistle besides him made Daniel reluctantly open his eyes and turn around. Nicklas was there, his eyes scanning the tableau with excitement before turning to Daniel with a wide cunning grin.

“I can smell orgy wafting in the air.”

Daniel smirked before turning around and ambling towards a yacht with the letters ‘Merseyside’ on its stern. Reaching the boat, he handed invitation cards to the attendants then they're led through to their cabins.

“See you in ten minutes,” Nicklas said when they’re about to get into their single-bed rooms, they’d need to dress up a bit before going up to the party on the deck.

But Daniel needed more time than that, “I need a shower.”

Nicklas rolled his eyes but didn’t waver. “See you on the deck then.”

***

When Daniel came out in a black suit with a Nikon-D3X camera dangling over his shoulder, it was thirty minutes later. Walking through the hallway, his hand kept fumbling with the deep blue tie by which he’s getting upset given that its knot didn’t look as neat as it should. He’d never been proficient in knotting necktie. Pacing up the stairs, Daniel glanced at his route before going back to fumble with his tie while turning a corner obliviously.

That's when a body ran into him, or maybe he ran into a body. They bumped so hard until both bounced back and Daniel felt wet streaks seep through his white shirt.

Fuck.

“Fuck!”

Daniel looked up wondering whether it’s his voice that blurted out the expletive but after taking notice of the other guy’s countenance, he realized he wasn’t the only one being infuriated right here and now. “What the fuck were you doing?!” The blond boy yelled at him while taking a look - many looks - at his shirt which was now stained in light yellow color right in the middle of his chest. A flute in his hand contained only a tad of golden champagne and Daniel knew where the rest of it was: on their garments.

“Well, you’re not the only one who was daubed,” Daniel shot back, incredibly calm. Maybe because after having seen that pouty-angry-plus-freckly-yet-so-unbelievably-gorgeous face of the other boy, Daniel had forgotten that he should be angry, too.

“Didn’t you ever watch your way when you walk?!”

Seems like he’s having an untimely appreciation, the Dane sighed. “Look, I’m sorry, alright? And you’re not the only one who got wet anyway.”

“Do you have any idea how much my shirt costs?! Don’t you dare compare!” His voice’s more furious and Daniel’s taken aback. He tried to make out the patterns of the shirt…okay, it’s D&G’s.

But that granted no excuses to be obnoxious towards him like that, his is Valentino’s, come on!

Yet before Daniel had another chance to snap back, the blond boy had rushed past him, grumbling, “Get out of my way,” before disappearing at a far corner. Daniel stood dumbstruck for a few moments then realized that he had to go to a washroom to get his shirt cleaned. His eyes scanned through the crowd for a toilet sign then another realization hit him that that sign pointed in the direction where the blonde had just vanished.

Daniel resisted an urge to follow it and turned towards the opposite direction instead. This fucking yacht couldn’t have only one public restroom, right?

***

Oh, yes, this fucking yacht had only one public restroom.

Daniel had to stand in the shadow outside the toilet for more than five minutes waiting for the blond boy to come out and disappear into the crowd. Daniel's eyes were on him until his back slipped out of sight then he went into the restroom. It’s not that Daniel didn’t want to meet him again, quite the opposite, he thought as hand-laundering his Valentino’s stained shirt. Well, despite his foul mouth, that blonde is the most gorgeous boy he has ever seen in a while…

Five minutes later, Daniel walked out of the washroom. Throngs were so packed on the deck yet he needed to find someone first. He had no idea where Nicklas was, maybe already sneaking in a corner with some girls or boys. But leave it at that, he wouldn’t need Nicklas now.

His eyes fell on a familiar figure near a canapé table and his lips quirked up into a wide sincere smile. Daniel made his way through the throngs and the guy glanced up from his colloquist in time to see the Dane approaching.

“Daniel!” The man in his early-thirties yelled in delight amid loud noise of music and chatters then made his way to meet the Dane. Daniel’s smile widened as the other man reached him.

“Uncle Stevie,” Daniel greeted.

“Daniel, welcome to Ibiza and aboard the Merseyside! I haven’t seen you for - how many months? How have you been? When did you arrive?” Steven Gerrard pelted questions at him.

“I arrived on the island two hours ago,” Daniel replied. “I came with a friend but I’m not quite sure where he is now. There’re so many people on board, yeah?”

Steven laughed. “Well, yeah, you should go and have fun, too. It’s party time so you need letting loose with others your age, not sticking around an uncle like me. Well, actually, I can lend you a guide if you don’t mind. Fernando, are you free to come here?” The last sentence Steven turned and shouted to his right. Daniel opened his mouth in objection but the next second he snapped it shut so tight as a guy called Fernando came into view.

The blond boy with freckles came up next to Steven and stiffened upon the sight of the Dane. Likewise, Daniel gawked at Fernando with pure confusion. It might look like his brain had just been frozen but the next statement out of his uncle’s mouth went straight to his cerebrum and he clearly memorized every detail of it.

“Dan, this is Fernando, my personal assistant. He’s in charge of this private party of mine so feel free to ask him for anything you need. Fernando, this is my nephew, Daniel Agger. He’d just flown from Copenhagen this evening. Take care of him for me, yeah?”

“Err, sure,” Fernando stammered and Daniel resisted his chuckle at the other boy’s reluctance in amusement. Steven raised an eyebrow doubtfully yet dismissing his suspicion quite instantly.

“Dan, I see that you have your camera with you. Mind taking my pictures then?” Steven asked playfully.

“’Course not.” Daniel averted his gaze back to his uncle and smiled sincerely. Holding the camera up, he placed an index finger over the press button, adjusted the zoom function and central focus with his other hand after fixing his eye on the viewfinder. Steven claimed Fernando’s shoulder with a hand and dragged him closer.

“Say cheese, Fernando,” his uncle teased and Fernando forced a smile as the shutters of Nikon-D3X captured a couple of shots of the flashed scene. Steven let the blonde’s shoulder free and explained, “Daniel’s a freelance photographer so you don’t need to mind either when he takes photos around my boat or of you. I’m sure he’d love a model sometimes.” He laughed at his own words. “Anyway, Fernando, I’ll leave him with you. I’ll see you later, okay Daniel?”

“Sure,” Daniel said and Steven turned to his awaiting friends before disappearing into the crowd.

Silence fell between them, an uncomfortable silence.

“So you’re Fernando,” the Dane was the one who broke the simmering peace. Fernando shifted anxiously on his spot.

“And you’re Daniel. Nice to meet you,” his voice’s still rigid.

The Dane grinned before offering his right hand for a shake. “We haven’t greeted properly yet,” he said, amused. Fernando glanced at it and did a half-hearted handshake but Daniel didn’t mind. “How’s your shirt anyway?” He asked, looked genuinely concerned.

“It’s fine now, thanks,” the blonde muttered then changed the subject. “Stevie said you’re his nephew, may I ask how old you are?”

“Twenty-six,” Daniel answered while stepping towards a canapé table, his stomach grumbled a bit since it hadn’t touched any food after a late lunch before he caught his flight. The blonde followed him. “And you?”

“Well, same age,” Fernando replied, a bit offended. “At first I thought you’re some kind of party-crasher brats.”

Daniel laughed. “That’s why you talked to me like that.” He popped a smoked-salmon-roll-topped-with-caviar canapé in his mouth in an enjoying-himself mood.

“Well, yes,” Fernando admitted but with an unregretful tone in his voice. “So, what do you want me to do? May I be your guide to this yacht? Since you’re such a VIP being the nephew of our executive?” This time he didn’t even try to hide his sarcasm but Daniel just smirked in response.

“Nothing special, you can just be my company.”

“Be my guest,” Fernando couldn’t stop jibing. A waiter came by with a tray of champagne flutes and Daniel saw a chance. He grabbed two of them and handed one to the boy.

“For my apologies.”

Fernando scowled bafflingly at the flute for a full minute. Grimacing, he took it and Daniel lifted his up in the air between them. “Cheers.”

Their glasses were clanged and both sipped the bitter-taste liquid customarily.

“Would you like to walk around?” Fernando asked. “The scenery from the front deck is quite a view.”

“Sure,” Daniel agreed.

They found their way through packed crowd and arrived at the front deck. Fernando reached for the handrail and leaned back against it. He sighed and closed his eyes, his head tilted up sending his hair sway in cool ocean breeze while raising the flute to his lips to gulp for champagne.

That sight made Daniel’s heart skip a beat.

Fernando pulled his lips from the glass and fumbled for something in his pocket. “Fag?” A pack of Dunhill was proffered to Daniel and he had to blink a couple of times to get rid of that stupefying scene before taking one from the pack.

The blonde put the pack back in his pocket and pulled out a lighter. He lit it and proffered Daniel again so he leaned forward to catch the fire. Fernando didn’t seem to notice though that Daniel looked at his face all the time instead of the cigarette end, and when the blonde pulled away to kindle his own roll, the Dane continued ogling him shamelessly.

Well, with that proximity, that scenery was definitely ‘quite a view’.

Bright flashes followed by snaps of shutter startled Fernando. He turned around and the fact that Daniel was blatantly taking photos of him made the boy’s cheeks flush a bit. “What the hell are you doing?!” He snapped and Daniel lowered his camera.

“Taking your photos,” he answered nonchalantly. When he saw Fernando’s lips part in protest, he forestalled the words, “your boss told me that I could.”

With that, Fernando shut his mouth. “Fine," he snapped again then averted his gaze back to the crowd. Daniel hid his face behind the camera body, smiling smugly. Through the viewfinder, Fernando looked more gorgeous than ever. His arms rested on the handrail lazily, smoke which was drawn out of his parted lips lingered in the air about his features and entangled in his wavering blond hair which was slightly swayed by the breeze. And the way Fernando closed his eyes and tilted his head back beyond the banister out of pleasure after a couple of puffs just made Daniel’s throat completely dry up.

“Mr. Torres.”

Fernando opened his lids out of annoyance and looked at a waiter walking towards him. “The wine you ordered has just arrived,” he informed.

‘Mr. Torres’ cut off the railing and glanced uncertainly at Daniel.

“You can go if you have something to get done. I’m quite fine over here,” Daniel assured and the boy nodded. He crushed the Dunhill fag on the banister then made an apologetic nod before trailing after the waiter through the throngs.

Daniel’s gaze followed that cluster of golden hair until it disappeared once more. He sipped his champagne and his heart sank a tad from a prickly question of whether he’s going to meet that freakingly hot boy again.


	2. Act 1: Ibiza (Chapter 2/9)

Summer sunshine almost made Daniel dazzlingly blind when he stepped on the deck next morning. Deep blue sea glittered under the sun while white fibreglass floor of the yacht reflected all rays at an almost dangerous point on which better not putting your eyes for too long. He shambled across the fibreglass and found deck chairs lined up on the deck which had already been occupied by lots of people for sunbathing leisure on a lazy summer day. The Dane took a glimpse around for some free space then spotted a bare sun-kissed upper-torso of a boy lying languidly in a chair. Despite the sunglasses he's wearing, the blond hair and telltale freckles betrayed themselves to the whole world that the boy was the one and only Fernando Torres.

And seems like all the mighty forces would like to invite him in, the chair next to Fernando was vacant.

Without hesitation and with only three strides, Daniel sat on the empty canvas silently. Fernando still unmoved, he might be sleeping, and that made Daniel’s heart pound heavily. The Dane held up his camera and took photographs noiselessly. Well, shutters couldn’t be quiet enough so only after several shots, Fernando sprang up out of surprise.

“What the-? It’s you again!”

“Good morning.” Daniel managed a composed smile on his also-freckly face while peeking from behind the camera.

“Oh, right, hi, good morning,” Fernando retorted sarcastically. “What are you doing here?”

“Enjoying sunshine like others.” Daniel shifted to lie down in his chair.

Fernando was still for a moment then blurted out, “You should take your shirt off, too.”

Daniel laughed and looked at the blonde. Fernando was solely in board shorts and his bare white chest had already been reddened by the sun. “Okay, I-”

“Daniel!”

His name was thrown out of somewhere. He turned in the direction of the noise and found that Nicklas had already been approaching. “I’ve been looking for you all over the boat, asshole.” Nicklas walked over and sat unceremoniously on the edge of Daniel’s chair.

“Well, I’ve been looking for you all night last night,” Daniel retaliated and Nicklas guffawed.

“Sorry, last night I was quite busy.”

“I could guess as much,” Daniel said then realized he had to introduce the blonde who’s currently sitting very still in observation. Half-heartedly, he announced, “Nick, this is Fernando, my uncle’s personal assistant. Fernando, this is Nicklas, my friend from Denmark.”

“Hi.” Nicklas offered his hand and the blonde took it firmly. “I really love the party last night, it rocks,” Nicklas lauded and Fernando snickered coyly.

“Thanks.”

And with that, Daniel suddenly stiffened with possessiveness from the way Nicklas’ eyes sparkled at the sight of the boy.

“What time should we go?” Daniel cut off immediately.

“Well, we can just stay here for a while-” Nicklas started.

“It’s almost noon already.” There’s an edge in Daniel’s voice.

“In that case, I think Fernando would be able to suggest us some nice restaurants around here. Right, Fernando?” Nicklas’ grin was wide, too wide for Daniel’s liking.

Fernando stayed silent for a while, looked like he’s contemplating. “What kind of food do you like?”

“Seafood, maybe,” Nicklas’ voice was animated. “Actually, I think it’d be a great idea if you join us so you can show us around Ibiza, in case you’re free, that is.”

And this time Fernando mulled over the offer quicker than the last time. “Sure, why not?”

***

The cab dropped them at Mirador de Dalt Vila Hotel since Steven’s private party let them stay aboard the ‘Merseyside’ only for a night. Although the yacht was his uncle’s and Daniel was allowed to lodge there as long as he would like, he didn’t take the offer.

But now the Dane regretted paying the hotel rooms in advance, seeing that Fernando did live on that boat. And, yeah, he started to regret dragging Nicklas here, too.

Their luggage was stowed in their rooms before they went out to grab lunch. The restaurant Fernando took them to was quite packed at precise midday. They’d waited in queue for about a quarter of an hour before getting a table for three. Daniel and Nicklas sat on the same side with Fernando opposite them, they ordered some food and Nicklas started chatting lively,

"So do you normally live here? In Ibiza?"

"Nah." Fernando took a morsel of tapas. "I live in London. My boss, Steven, Daniel's uncle, bases at the headquarters in London. He merely held a private party in Ibiza for some business purposes. We have potential customers here whom Steven would like to discuss business with."

"OIC." Nicklas nodded. "And how long are you gonna be staying here?"

"Another 4-5 days, I guess," he answered Nicklas but his brown eyes unmistakably fleetingly looked at Daniel. "I have some paper works to clean up after their agreement."

"Oh, so the party last night went well then, congratulations." Nicklas smiled his wide smile. Fernando nodded and mumbled 'thanks' in appreciation. "Anyway, you seem to know the way around here. I bet it's not your first time in Ibiza."

"I'm Spanish, so I've been here before a couple of times." He sipped his soft drink.

"I can see that, which town are you from?"

"Madrid."

Conversations went on like that and Daniel stayed silent most of the time. Fernando kept glancing in his direction and the slight frown of his eyebrows seemed to ask the Dane out of concern why he's so quiet. They finished the meal and Nicklas started again, "I wonder will you have time after this? Not sure whether Dan had told you yet but we’re freelance photographers. Would you mind show us beautiful spots around Ibiza? Since you seem to know where they are better than us two combined." The sparks in his eyes told everyone that beautiful scenery was really not what he actually had in mind.

The blonde took note of that as well but he remained acting ignorant. He looked at his wristwatch and contemplated, a lot.

"I guess I'll have a couple of hours then," he relented finally. "Where do you guys wanna go?"

***

Shutters of Daniel's Nikon continually captured the breathtaking scene in front of him. Sunlight basked the almost-deserted beach, sparkling the sand in every shade of gold. Being secluded between verdant hillsides, not many people knew there's a hidden paradise here. And from a bird’s-eye view up here on the hill, the scene was just utterly ravishing.

Swift movement beside him made Daniel glance up and the creature before his eyes caused his heart to skip a beat, again. Fernando Torres fulfilled the scene with his angelic features which made the whole sight even more stunning and also numbed Daniel's brain for a full minute.

"I always come here when I have time, it's so quiet and beautiful," Fernando whispered to the breeze like confiding secrets in them. His arms rested on the barrier while his eyes looked down at the shore. Daniel glimpsed around automatically to find a trace of Nicklas but the other was nowhere to be seen.

They were so close and alone together.

With only a second of hesitation, Daniel closed their distance in one stride. The next moment, he stood firmly behind the blonde, his chest against Fernando's back, his hands on the low-brick wall in front of them, holding Fernando captive between his tattooed arms.

Daniel felt Fernando's body stiffen a bit before he eased off. And he really couldn't help chills running down his spine when the Spaniard leaned the back of his head at rest against the Dane's shoulder. He tilted his head a bit farther from Daniel's face so his perfect white throat was inevitably directly in front of Daniel's eyes.

Daniel held his breath and resisted an urge to defile Fernando's flawless neck with some possessive marks.

"Should we get down to the beach so you can take some photos there?" Fernando murmured but the words couldn’t even get to Daniel's brain properly.

“Later…,” was all the Dane could stammer. With too-close proximity, sweet fragrance from Fernando’s hair and skin mingling with the scent of Dunhill started to drive him insane. And like Fernando was a magnetic substance with an ultimate gravity, Daniel couldn’t withstand an impulse to dive his nose in the provenance of those scents for the more of it.

He knew he would never ever get enough, though.

Daniel’s face gingerly inclined to the side of Fernando’s neck. When his nose almost touched the soft flesh - only an inch away if Daniel’s perception hadn’t already been too dysfunctional by dint of the sight of this beautiful being - Fernando instantly budged and pushed Daniel aside with his hand. They broke apart.

“Let’s go,” the blonde’s voice sounded so disinterested, he pretended nothing had just happened and Daniel had to stand still for a few moments to compose. But before Fernando turned to lead the way, Daniel swore he detected a suppressed smile at the corner of the Spaniard’s mouth.

Daniel bit down his lower lip and trailed after that big tease down to the shore.


	3. Act 1: Ibiza (Chapter 3/9)

They would meet at a nightclub tonight.

After sightseeing around the island, Fernando left for some errands but promised to join them for clubbing at midnight. Daniel and Nicklas went back to their rooms after a stroll, had dinner and took a shower before going out.

The club Fernando picked wasn’t far from their hotel that they arrived in ten minutes by foot. It’s a partial outdoor club with its front facing the beach and also had an indoor pool. The throngs inside were still sparse. They grabbed boozes at the bar and waited there.

Fernando arrived in a long-sleeved black shirt and dark slim-fit jeans with friends whom he introduced as Cesc and Gerard. They greeted and chatted animatedly as making their ways to the dance floor.

"How’s your errand?" Daniel asked Fernando who's sipping his booze contentedly.

"Good," he answered, "I couldn't do anything much at the time though, people were already having siesta, so I did the same."

"Oh, yes, I saw that, too, when Nick and I walked down the street, most of the shops were closed," Daniel agreed.

It's getting packed in the club, hip-hop music alternated with electro Latino roared until it seemed impossible to talk in a normal volume and hope others could hear. They squeezed together on the floor: all five of them, and Daniel did his best to keep Nicklas away from Fernando as far as possible, once he even too-obviously shoved Nicklas away. Fernando noticed the endeavor and did his best to restrain giggles but somehow it was unsuccessful.

"What's so funny?" Daniel asked, amused with himself, too.

"What have you been trying to do?" He shot back, pretending to be innocent. Daniel grinned his naughty grin.

"Try my best to be with you,"

The answer was so straightforward it made Fernando dumbfounded for a moment.

"Are you okay, gorgeous?" Nicklas chimed in and gave the blonde a wide smile. Daniel suddenly felt like killing someone.

"Yes, sure," Fernando smiled back, all unreadable expressions in his eyes immediately vanished. "I’ll go get new drinks." He showed Nicklas his empty glass and walked away in the direction of the bar.

"I’ll go with you!" Nicklas shouted after the boy and started to make way after Fernando. But a hand stopped him in the middle of his chest - a hand with tattooed arm. Nicklas glanced up at Daniel, eyebrow raised.

"Make this round my treat, what'd you have?" Daniel asked in a rigid voice.

"Mate, you don't have to-"

"I'll get you a beer," he cut off and instantly headed towards the bar, leaving Nicklas without any chance to protest.

He caught Fernando trying to cut through the throngs to the counter. Daniel stopped next to him cheek by jowl and Fernando's body stiffened for a moment, but not after he had realized it's Daniel. "What'd you have?" The Dane asked.

"Vodka-coke," Fernando answered. Daniel took the liberty of grabbing the blonde's wrist and squeezed them in.

"Two Heineken and a vodka-coke," he ordered and paid for all the drinks.

"That doesn't impress me much,"

Fernando's voice was so teasing and Daniel had to bite down his lip while raking his brain for an equal reply. "What will impress you then?" He asked. His beers and Fernando's vodka-coke arrived and the Spaniard picked up his tumbler.

"Figure it out yourself," he answered, smiled alluringly, turned and walked away.

For Christ’s sake, Daniel’s never gonna let that happen.

His arm slung fast, caught Fernando by the waist and deftly spun the tall lithe figure to face him. Their bodies pressed against each other in one haul, their faces only inches apart, and if the Spaniard was even surprised by Daniel's audacity, he’d never showed.

"Don't leave yet," Daniel whispered to the space between them. He could feel Fernando's hitched breath on his lips so he assumed that his hot breaths were brushing wildly against the other boy's cheek, too.

"My friends are waiting," Fernando answered in an incredibly unanimated voice. He stared back at Daniel's fixed gaze defiantly, a flicker of smirk on his lips. Daniel tried even harder to control himself.

"They can wait a bit longer," the Dane said, shifted closer and brushed his nose gingerly against Fernando's cheek, the flesh there was really - oh, fuck - crazily soft. The scents that made him so giddy this afternoon hit him again: that unique sweet fragrance mixed with Dunhill's. Everything about Fernando was so tempting and tantalizing that made the Dane irresistibly glide his lips closer to the corner of the Spaniard's mouth and-

Fernando shoved him away, his eyes sparkled in a way the Dane was certain wasn’t because of anger: tease, perhaps. He grinned at Daniel seductively before jostling into the crowd.

***

Fernando superglued to his friends all night after that, and when Nicklas and Daniel went to get more drinks, Nicklas decided he preferred this side of the dance floor since it provided a better view. Daniel didn't protest, he still had time.

"Wanna dance?" A beautiful blond girl approached him. He smiled at her and nodded. She grabbed his free hand and dragged him through packed crowd to the center of the floor. They danced together in 'Club Can't Handle Me' by Flo-Rida and Daniel instinctively looked for Fernando, to find him looking back as well with narrowed eyes.

Daniel smirked to himself even more.

After a couple of songs, seeing Fernando making his way to the bar alone, Daniel thanked the girl and left. Jostling about until reaching Fernando’s back mid-way, he moved closer until his lips brushed against the Spaniard's ear. "May I have your number, sexy boy?"

Fernando didn't even flinch, he smirked and shot a question back without turning around, "how long are you guys gonna stay here?"

And Daniel knew that question wasn't about tonight. He snorted.

"For me it's Thursday." Today was Saturday, um, Sunday morning, actually. "I don't know about Nick, he said he might leave a bit earlier. You’ll have to ask him yourself." He didn't mean to be sarcastic, just a stupid retort considering Fernando's choice of words. But when the blonde spun around and looked at him daringly, he knew he’d made a mistake.

"I will," Fernando replied and headed rebelliously in Nicklas' direction.

Oh, fuck you, Agger! Daniel pursed his lips as seeing Fernando reach Nicklas and the other smiled at the Spaniard flirtatiously at the first second he arrived. Daniel spun around and walked in the opposite direction, to the bar. He’s waiting for his umpteenth bottle of Heineken when a giggling voice struck him, "happy?"

Daniel couldn't turn back fast enough before feeling the slip of fingers glide across his left chest. Chills ran down his spine as he faced Fernando with only a few inches apart, again. But this time it's so close that he thought he could feel a tingling sensation from the blonde's lips on his already. "Nick will be leaving on Tues," Fernando whispered almost directly to Daniel's lips while slowly withdrawing his hand from the Dane's left chest. "And your heart is beating too fast doctor would say you’ll have a heart attack any second to come."

And with a smirk, Fernando left him. Daniel slid a hand across his left chest and felt his heart beating too dangerously that it could stop deadly any minute.

Then he felt something in his shirt's pocket.

Daniel frowned, slipped his hand in and took a piece of paper out. He unfolded it.

And the twelve-digit numbers which were carelessly scribbled in it was like a raveled serpentine maze to Fernando Torres' heart.

Daniel didn't even notice he'd been holding his breath all this time.


	4. Act 1: Ibiza (Chapter 4/9)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I gotta clarify this; this story was written and first published in 2010 when BlackBerry was still popular, so that you guys don't wonder why they still use BlackBerry in this story. I'm too lazy to revise that.

Daniel woke up at four in the evening, they stayed at the club until the sun came up and was piss drunk. He morning-called (evening-called, actually) Nicklas in the adjacent room before taking a shower and going out for something to fill their grumbling empty stomachs, hoping people had already been up from siesta - at least people who worked at restaurants.

He missed Fernando.

Without a second thought, Daniel browsed through his contact list searching for ‘Fernando’ whose number had already been keyed in his BlackBerry mobile since last night. "Morning, sunshine," Daniel spoke into the receiver when the other end picked up, never mind checking whether it's Fernando or not.

Silence that crept up between them made Daniel hesitate for a minute.

"Daniel?" A familiar voice that uttered questioningly this time caused the Dane to smile so wide.

"Who else do you think?" He shot back jokingly.

"Others, perhaps." Fernando's snicker was teasing. "By the way, Dan, it's almost six in the evening so what's that 'morning, sunshine' was about?"

"Well, I'm just up." He shrugged like the blonde could actually see it. Fernando giggled.

"Me, too."

"So what’re you up to today?" Daniel asked, sipping his beverage.

"Some more errands," the boy murmured.

“And after that? Will you have time?” He asked blatantly.

"Nah, don't think so. I'm too tired, can't have more clubbing."

Daniel’s shoulder slumped a bit. "Doesn't have to be clubbing," he said.

Fernando laughed ironically. "What's your plan then? Go to your room and chat all night?" He asked. "I don't think so."

"It doesn't have to be that either," Daniel replied although he kinda liked the idea. Well, he likes it when the supposed bottom brings up topics implying sex first.

It's kinda hot.

"I have some stuff to finish, too...," Fernando trailed off. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"Sure," Daniel replied in a sullen voice and Fernando laughed it off.

"Don't be so glum," he teased. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow, lunch okay?"

"Okay," the Dane replied flatly.

"I'll call you about time and place later then," the Spaniard said. "Gotta go."

"'Kay, talk to you later."

And they hung up.

Nicklas didn't ask to whom Daniel had spoken. If either of them wanted the other to know about their love lives, they would prattle about it themselves.

***

Daniel had met up with Steven Gerrard in the morning before his uncle caught a flight back to London, alone, and the Dane left for his secret date with the Spaniard. The restaurant Fernando chose was located at a far beach, it took Daniel almost twenty minutes by cab. When he went in, he found that Fernando had already occupied a table.

"What did you tell Nick?" Fernando asked curiously.

"Just told him I’d go out with someone I got numbers from the club," he answered with a grin.

"Hmm, no lie, though." Fernando quirked up his brow, impressed. Averting his gaze back to the menu, they started their order.

"Do you travel often, normally?" Daniel started a conversation.

"Quite," Fernando replied. "Your uncle has customers around Europe, some even beyond that. He visits each site at least once a year for annual meetings or other special occasions." He shrugged. "So yeah, usually I go with him."

"Sounds like loads of fun." Daniel was impressed. Fernando smiled cunningly.

"Yes, it is." Then he straightened up. “I need to go to the washroom.” He stood up. “Be right back.”

Daniel nodded in acknowledgement while Fernando walked past him. He sat bored for a moment then noticed a BlackBerry mobile Fernando had left on the table. The Dane narrowed his eyes, it wasn’t polite to mess with others’ cell phone but he seemed unable to resist the urge.

When Fernando resumed his seat a couple of minutes later, Daniel informed him plainly, “I’ve already added your pin.”

Fernando was puzzled for a good full minute and Daniel realized he really loved it when the boy bafflingly looked at him like that. “What? Don’t you know it's rude to meddle with other people’s belongings?!” Despite the reproach, Fernando’s voice didn’t sound as mad as it should and Daniel got cheeky even more.

They finished lunch and the Dane asked brazenly, “so, what should we do next?”

Fernando raised his brow. “I didn’t promise to do anything with you after lunch.”

“You said you’re gonna made it up to me.”

“Isn’t lunch enough?!” He cried out but with a flicker of smile at the corner of his mouth so Daniel summed up with an attempted-to-restrain exultation.

“Let’s go to the beach, yeah?”

***

They lent deck chairs and sunbathed on the beach not far from the restaurant. Throngs were sparse here and the ambiance was so pacific that it’s so easy to laze away under summer sunshine.

"What is your favourite color?" Fernando asked out of nowhere and Daniel quirked up his eyebrow questioningly yet he didn't bother to avert his gaze from the crystal-clear blue sky - a tad dim though when looking through sunglasses.

"Red," Daniel replied and heard the Spaniard snort too loud. He smiled to himself. "What is your favourite animal?" He asked back and Fernando was silent for a moment, thinking.

"Eagle," he answered resolutely. "What's your favourite sport?"

"Football," Daniel replied and stopped to think a bit. "What's your favourite movie?"

"Oh, that's easy." Fernando flipped his left arm to show the Dane his tattoo. "The Lord of the Rings."

"What's that?!" Daniel glowered at the mystic letters on the blonde's forearm. Fernando pouted irritably.

"Tengwar alphabet, you moron," he snarled. "The Elvish language."

"What does it say?" Daniel couldn't take his eyes off it.

"My name, Fernando," Fernando answered and looked at Daniel's bare upper-torso. "I can see you have a lot of tattoos, too."

"Oh, yes, I'm a tattoo junky." Daniel smirked, and the Spaniard smirked back.

"Other than a sneaky-snapshot junky," he retorted.

"Um, yes, actually, I'm a tattooist, too," he boasted and that impressed Fernando a bit.

"Really?"

"Yes, and it's your turn." Daniel slouched back in his chair. Fernando blinked twice before remembering what they'd been doing.

"Right." He contemplated. "Okay, this one...just think of anything, okay? What is your most favourite thing in the world?"

The Dane laughed. "Why? That's way too easy." And when Fernando made a baffled face full of puzzlement once again, Daniel just couldn't take it anymore. He answered, nonchalantly, "you."

Silence fell between them, and Daniel had to turn around to make sure Fernando was still breathing there. "You cheesy bastard!" Yelling out finally, the Spaniard scooped a handful of sand and threw at Daniel. The Dane guffawed and Fernando sprang out of his chair, took off his sunglasses and ran to the sea.

Daniel followed jubilantly. Warm water hit his torso, salt glazed his bare skin and the Spaniard's soaked blond hair and glistened body just looked as sexy as ever. Fernando splashed brine on the Dane playfully, and he splashed back. Some droplets hit him in the eyes and they prickled but Daniel didn't mind. He chased the Spaniard about and Fernando ran, twisted and swerved away from him just too swiftly.

The Dane lunged one last time and caught the blonde by his upper-arm, he pulled him closer until their bodies pressed against each other in one haul. He laughed triumphantly while looking at the snickering Fernando amorously. Then without warning, the Spaniard closed his eyes and leaned over, kissed Daniel full on the lips.

Daniel was taken aback and he stood there with wide eyes, stunned. It took a good full minute for him to realize what had just happened.

And when the truth hit him square in his face, Daniel couldn’t be fast enough to clasp the blonde's waist with both hands and kiss him back truly, madly, deeply.

 


	5. Act 1: Ibiza (Chapter 5/9)

_**Daniel:** What r u doing?_

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Sort things out with my customer._

_**Daniel:** Busy?_

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Um, not really._

_**Daniel:** I'm going out with Nick, it's his last day today._

_**~«F. Torres»~:** When will he be leaving?_

_**Daniel:** The flight is at 2pm._

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Alright._

_**Daniel:** I'll need a company after that then :D_

_**~«F. Torres»~:** ..._  
_**~«F. Torres»~:** Meet me at the yacht by 2._

_**Daniel:** Sounds like a plan, what r we gonna do?_

_**~«F. Torres»~:** I'll show you the real Ibiza._

***

Daniel arrived at Marina of Santa Eulària des Riu at ten minutes to two. The scene looked quite like the same except that last time there was no sunlight. He scuffed to 'Merseyside' and climbed aboard, Fernando was nowhere to be seen.

The Dane stalked about the boat, the deck, the forward, they were all vacated. He went to the cabin: no one in the wheelhouse, so he headed to the kitchen.

Fernando was there, thrusting his head into an overhead cupboard behind the counter, groping for something clangingly. Daniel smiled and stepped gingerly across the floor until stopping exactly behind the blonde. He laid hands on Fernando's bare waist, since he was wearing only board shorts, and asked flatly, "what are you doing?"

Fernando jumped away, his hand fixed on the location of his heart. He stared at Daniel with wide eyes. Catching his breath, the Spaniard cursed out loud, "Fuck you, Daniel! You almost heart-attacked me!"

Daniel smirked. "I thought I've done that already." But when Fernando kept scowling at him heatedly and took no joke, the Dane sighed. "Didn't you hear me arrive?"

"No!"

He rolled his eyes. "I think my steps were quite noisy and the boat is not that big."

"It's not that small either!" Fernando shot back, trying to pacify his heartbeat. He walked back and resumed what he'd been doing: taking glasses and shots down from the cupboard.

Daniel raised his brow. "You know how to make cocktails?"

"I used to be a bartender when I was in the uni," Fernando answered without looking up, busily preparing essential ingredients. "Take these up to the deck," he ordered and pushed a tray full of too many kinds of alcohol towards the other. Daniel frowned.

"Who else will be joining this party?" He asked curiously.

"No one," Fernando replied while tucking a bottle of Absolut Vodka under Daniel's arm. "Just you and me, baby."

***

Daniel lolled in a deck chair watching Fernando busying himself at his makeshift bar. The boy poured measured gin, champagne, lemon juice and two teaspoons of sugar into the shaker. He carelessly brushed his bangs away with lean fingers and rocked the shaker deftly. Daniel’s simply hypnotized, couldn't take his eyes off that sight until the Spaniard emptied the outcome into a tall glass almost full of ice cubes. He dropped an orange slice, a maraschino cherry and a red straw in the glass then shambled towards Daniel.

"Erotica," he told the Dane who took the tumbler but Daniel remained fixing his eyes on the blonde's freckly face. "What?" Daniel's blatant gaze got on his nerves and Fernando was about to pull away when the Dane grabbed his arm and yanked him down to crush the Spaniard's delectable lips with his.

Daniel caressed those soft pink lips lasciviously, he nibbled them, bit them gently, and when he heard a lustful groan from Fernando's throat combined with a hitch in his Dunhill-tainted breath, Daniel daringly prodded his tongue at those lips for a permission to slip in.

And he's granted a slide of the blonde's tongue in the cave of his mouth before anything else.

Daniel shivered, Fernando's tongue was hot, as well as his lips, and his breaths. Well, everything about this Fernando fucking Torres was freaking hot. Daniel stroked his hand down the Spaniard's arm to his waist, his hip, then his notorious ass-

At that moment, Fernando broke away. Daniel had to blink away giddiness and tried to catch his breath. Fernando licked his reddened succulent lips in a way that was too seductive, the corner of his mouth twisted up into a teasing alluring smirk.

Then he turned away and resumed position as a bartender at his stopgap mini-bar.

***

"Just keep heading to the east and we'll be fine," Fernando told him over the wheel Daniel was steering. They set off the marina a while ago and the Dane demanded to be the one who drove the yacht.

"Where are we going again?" Daniel asked without veering his eyes off the dazzling sea in front of them.

"Nowhere, it's a very small island, not even appears on the map, only the locals know where it is," Fernando said and sipped ‘Sea Breeze’ he mixed himself. "But believe me, it's worth every single droplet of oil to get there."

Daniel frowned. "How far is it?"

"Quite far," the blonde murmured.

"Hmm...," the Dane tilted his head to look up at the position of the sun, "but you're sure we’ll get back to the main island in time for sunset, yeah?"

"Why?" Fernando snickered. "I didn't know you’re such a romantic fella who would want to watch sunset on a Mediterranean paradise island."

"No, come on!" Daniel snorted. "I mean it’ll be more difficult to drive back in the dark, no?"

"I didn't say we’d be back by today."

And with that, the truth hit Daniel square in his face, again.

"Wait, I know my uncle had already gone back to London, but I thought you said you had some works to finish, no? And are you sure no one else's gonna need to use the boat?"

"Oh, stop being a pussy, Daniel!" Fernando snarled. "No one except us is allowed to use this fucking yacht on this island at this moment. And for your information, all my works are already done, thanks for your concern!"

Daniel stayed silent for a minute, not that he was contemplating about what Fernando had done, was doing, and was about to do. Better yet, he was thinking about what he was doing, would do, and should do on this unexpected outrageous trip. With Fernando and him alone on this yacht and a non-existent paradise island.

This sounds too good to be true.

"Why do you look so pissed?" Fernando asked irritably. Actually, he’s the one who looked pissed. "If you don't wanna go, we can just turn this fucking boat around and head back," he retorted.

"I’m not pissed!" Daniel cried out, then on the spur of the moment, leaned across the steering wheel to cover Fernando's pouty lips with his, gently nibbling that enticing lower lip before breaking off. "Happy?"

Fernando still pouted but sparks in his brown eyes told Daniel that he wasn’t that angry anymore. The Dane laughed animatedly. "So, tell me baby, how long are we gonna live on this yacht?"

The Spaniard shrugged. "You said your flight was on Thursday." And that was an answer enough. Okay, fuck his 310-euros-per-night room at that five-star hotel then.

"And you have all the boards and stuff prepared?"

"Of course!" Fernando snorted. "Who do you think I am?! I'm your uncle's personal assistant, remember?"

 


	6. Act 1: Ibiza (Chapter 6/9)

They arrived at the island in good two hours.

Fernando anchored them on one side of the island where there's a secluded golden beach and the sea was a deep sapphire color. Daniel swallowed hard as his throat dried up helplessly; the island was so small one could possibly walk around within ten minutes, yet with that flawless beach, orange-hued volcanic rock and verdant flora interleaved with colorful flowers on it, this tiny island was so picturesque that it’s indisputably the most ravishing one Daniel had ever seen.

Yet the most important thing was that it was all to them, alone.

"Fernando-"

"Woohoo!" Fernando ran past Daniel to the prow, somersaulted on the edge of the boat before hitting the crystal-clear Mediterranean Sea below with a big water splash.

"Hey," Daniel smiled, scuffed to the rim in time for Fernando to push his head towards the surface of the sea.

"Get down here!" And that was an order. Daniel rolled his eyes in disbelief but obeyed anyway.

"Okay." Then he jumped into the sea next to the Spaniard who seemed unable to stop giggling cheerfully. "Oh!" The Dane cried out in surprise when coming up from his plunge. "There’re so many fish over here!"

"Don't worry, they're not gonna bite you, idiot." The Spaniard snickered and Daniel bit down his lower lip.

"I didn't mean that, smartass!" And he lunged forward, caught the laughing Fernando by the shoulder since the boy had swiftly spun around shielding his beautiful face from the splash of water. Daniel tightly hugged the Spaniard from behind and snuggled up against the boy's wet blond hair fondly and Fernando was incredibly still despite the kicks to stay afloat. "Tired of paddling?" Daniel asked, and - took the other boy by surprise - turned Fernando around and placed the boy astraddle in his lap, closing in all the gaps. Their bodies pressed against one another and Daniel felt a slight jolt from the Spaniard when he purposely thrust his groin up against Fernando's. The bulge under the Dane's board shorts could not be misinterpreted.

If the sun didn't deceive him, Daniel swore he saw that gorgeous freckly face flush, just for a split second though, before Fernando pushed the Dane away, a luring smile flickering on his lips and Daniel honestly wanted to dash to him, yank his shorts down and do him now.

But the blonde had already swum away at the speed that was second to none to the tiny heavenly wonderland in front of them.

***

They lay on the beach blissfully, letting waves beat them up to their calves. Their breaths were heavy from swimming about and Daniel was a bit hungry now. He left his wristwatch on the yacht and they had already lost track of time, yet from the position of the sun Daniel guessed it was beyond seven o'clock by now. In summertime like this, the sun wouldn’t set until nine o'clock.

"Let's go back to the boat," the Dane murmured tiredly, Fernando sat up.

"Okay." He proffered his hand to Daniel and pulled the other up. They swam slowly back to the yacht anchored not far from there. When they’d finally climbed up to the deck, Daniel slouched in a deck chair waiting for Fernando to come up from the kitchen with their dinner.

"We can do fishing tomorrow if you want," Fernando suggested above his plate of paella and Daniel nodded in agreement. They ate in silence, too exhausted to bring up any conversation. After having finished, the Dane offered to do the dish.

He came up from the cabin and saw Fernando sitting on the forecastle, a knee up while the other leg dangling, hand grasping the forestay loosely. He was looking towards the sunset and didn’t seem to hear the Dane's return. And with that fascinating wavering blond hair and breathtaking coral sunset as a background, Daniel just couldn’t help clandestinely fetch his camera and snap photos.

Fernando suddenly turned around, but instead of snapping at Daniel as usual, he smiled and struck a pose naturally.

"Let's try that way." Daniel pointed to another spot on the deck after some snapshots and Fernando got up, sauntered there obediently. He sat down on the gunwale and tilted his head up, giving Daniel an unhindered vision of his impeccable neck.

Daniel's throat completely dried up again.

He kept on pressing the shutter button while Fernando casually shifted positions every couple of minutes. Daniel walked about capturing every angle of those angelic features. The blonde flicked his damp hair and smiled seductively back at the camera. "Can I lie down?" The Spaniard asked and without waiting for permission, lay down on his side on the gunwale.

Daniel's breath hitched and he nervously pressed the button for continuous shots without a second thought. At this point, every shot of the blonde's motions was essential.

The orange radiance of the setting sun basked Fernando's body glazing his bare upper-torso with a peachy hue. Daniel stopped heeding the background scenery long ago and focused the lens only on Fernando. His brown eyes that stared back at the Dane were just too inviting that they made Daniel’s mouth water helplessly.

And if Daniel thought his lower region couldn’t get harder than this, he's so damn wrong. "Do you mind if I take my shorts off?" Fernando asked matter-of-factly.

If the meaning of that question hit Daniel's brain just a bit, he didn't realize. His mouth gaped but no sound came out. Fernando stood up, slowly stripped off his damp board shorts along with his briefs. Daniel stared with too-wide eyes when those pieces of cloth were dropped carelessly on the floor and the boy in front of him just stood there undauntedly, completely naked as the day he was born.

Fernando ambled to the stairs and sat down gingerly on the steps. He shifted until he found a comfortable position, leaned back against the incline then met Daniel's dumbstruck gaze with determinant eyes.

"Take my picture," he said, simply.


	7. Act 1: Ibiza (Chapter 7/9)

Daniel struggled to stop his hands from quivering and order his obstinate finger to press the shutter button. Fernando was totally, COMPLETELY, naked in front of him, his body was so white Daniel swore it almost scintillated under the setting sun. The blond boy shifted to strike new poses and the Dane budged for better angles.

Fernando got up after some time and paced up the stairs. Daniel followed, sweats made his hand slick and his breaths were so unsteady. The Spaniard lay down on his side on a trunk and Daniel had to make too much effort to avoid looking at any parts other than Fernando's face. After some more snapshots which Daniel couldn't recall how he managed to take, Fernando stood up determinedly and walked straight to him. Daniel's body turned rigid immediately.

"What are you doing?" The Spaniard stopped in front of the Dane, asking uncertainly. His bare chest hindered all the views if looking through the lens. The blonde caught the camera, lowered it down so he could look Daniel straight in the eyes. The Dane was so dumbstruck he didn't know what to do. Fernando couldn't help curling his lips up into a sheepish smile. "Well, for your information, I've never been nude photographed before so don't make me do this for too long, I'm kinda embarrassed, you know?"

And Daniel was still so stunned to make any moves when the Spaniard leaned in to kiss him on the lips wholeheartedly.

It took the Dane a good full minute to realize what had just happened, and when he comprehended the state of Fernando's tempting lips on his, he eagerly reciprocated with a more desirous kiss. His left hand grabbed the blonde's waist pulling him closer while his right took the camera dangling around his neck off through his head, tossed it on a deck chair then pushed Fernando towards the wall.

There was a thud sound when the blonde's back hit fibreglass yet they didn't break away from the kiss. Daniel's breath hitched, his hand lasciviously stroked the Spaniard's back, hip, then that priceless naked ass.

Fernando’s flesh there was squishy when Daniel clenched it hard, drawing moan from the Spaniard's throat. He arched and his aroused cock pressed against Daniel's already-too-hard erection. The blonde slithered his hands down the Dane's bare upper-torso, across his muscular abs which sent spasm run up Daniel's spine then downward to the waistband of his board shorts. Fernando stripped them down.

Daniel’s hand snaked to the front of Fernando's lower region and the Spaniard couldn't resist a lewd guttural moan when Daniel held his cock in his hand. He stroked its shaft and Fernando arched up – a universal reaction of asking for more. The Spaniard’s hand slid up Daniel's thigh to between their pressed groins before holding Daniel's cock tightly and stroking it, too.

Daniel moaned irresistibly, he needed some air so he cut off the blonde's tantalizing lips. The Dane half-opened his eyes and saw Fernando's eyelids still shutting, his head turned up until its back rested against the wall behind giving Daniel a full vision of his neck. His lips also parted for some gasps of breath and his chest heaved up and down intensely when Daniel sped up the rhythm on his erection.

"Oh, God, Daniel," Fernando whimpered, seemed oblivious to pull his weight since his hand still clutched Daniel's cock but had already stopped stroking. Droplets of sweat sprouted on the blonde's skin and Daniel bent forward to lick them off the Spaniard’s throat. Fernando panted harder, snapped his head forward in search of the Dane's lips with his. Daniel returned the kiss but only for a couple of seconds before pulling away, he nibbled along the impeccable jaw line down the Spaniard’s neck, shoulder, chest, and stopped to bite the other boy's nipple playfully.

"D-Dan," Fernando stammered. His hand automatically placed on Daniel's head, tugged hard at the Dane's short hair to emancipate some of the suppressed sensations. Daniel dragged his lips lower to the blonde's flat stomach then to his cock.

Fernando gasped too loud as Daniel gingerly licked the tip of his cock sending his hands wrench Daniel's hair with a ruthless effort. The Dane smirked against the Spaniard's erection as he could feel the boy trembling with desire. Fernando's hands instinctively nudged the Dane's head, begging him to claim his cock with his mouth, and Daniel obeyed. He sucked the head hard, pursed his lips tightly around its circumference which drew an animal-like grunt from Fernando's throat. The Spaniard’s head tilted back at a perpendicular angle to his shoulder and his eyes squeezed shut with an overwhelmed passion.

And Daniel, from the bottom of his heart, was so zealous to render more stimulants. He slid fingers under the Spaniard's crotch to the crevice of his ass.

Fernando instantaneously jerked when a hot finger pressed the pucker of his entrance. He huffed as the Dane deliberately put more pressure on it but not letting the digit slip in. The Spaniard grunted out of irritation, caught between jerking away from the electric-like touch and pushing his hips down with the hunger to be fulfilled.

Then Daniel granted him a thrust of one digit. Fernando's muscle clenched automatically when something unfamiliar intruded him yet relaxed fast enough. Daniel remained unmoved for a second, observing the other boy's reaction patiently. Fernando squirmed torturously. "Dan, don't stop, please," he begged hoarsely in a shaking voice.

And with that Daniel had had enough.

He thrust two fingers up to their hilts and fucked Fernando ruthlessly. The blond boy just couldn't hold back anymore, he screamed, grunted and moaned with passion. His legs parted wider giving Daniel more access, one of his hands wrenched Daniel's hair while the other dug its nails into the tattooed shoulder. Daniel bit his lower lip struggling to death to restrain himself. But when Fernando instantly shrieked frantically and writhed tormentedly in the impaled position like the Dane’s finger had accidentally brushed against his prostrate, Daniel felt something inside him snap.

The next thing he knew was that the Spaniard was shoved down to lie on his back on the fiberglass floor with himself on top of him.

And when Fernando pulled the Dane's head down with his hand on Daniel's nape and crushed their lips together hungrily, Daniel knew from this point onwards there’s no foreplay allowed. And the blonde reaffirmed that notion by sending his hand search blindly about Daniel's crotch that once he grabbed what he was looking for, he thrust it unceremoniously into himself.

Daniel gasped, from the suddenness of heat that sheathed his cock and the tightness like the path was going to break into shatters if he persistently pushed in any further. But Fernando didn't seem to mind. He shifted and swallowed Daniel inch by inch, more and more. And the Dane couldn't do anything but rock into him like crazy sending Fernando scream hysterically. At first Daniel thought it was because of pain - well, there did have a glint of pain on that distorted gorgeous face - but when the blonde arched and writhed and thrust his hips back in line with Daniel's rhythm, he realized something other than that had already prevailed the pain.

So Daniel held back no more: he fucked and thrashed and devoured Fernando Torres like he was mad, like he had never done this before in his life, like he was a twenty-six-years-old virgin who had just discovered this heavenly secret thrill of mankind, and he savored it every second, every friction, every sense.

And there they had sex: on the deck of 'Merseyside' yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea under the beam of Ibiza's setting sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the smut, eventually, starts now.
> 
> You're welcome.


	8. Act 1: Ibiza (Chapter 8/9)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the smut continues.

Daniel lay on the fibreglass floor, staring blankly at the sky full of stars. He was so exhausted he could fall asleep right there and then. His chest still heaved in an unsteady rhythm but it would stabilize soon. Next to him, Fernando huffed in the same cadence, adrenaline lingered in his veins. From what had just happened, Daniel felt a bit ashamed to turn and ask the blonde whether he was okay. Knowing he wasn’t gonna be okay; it's gotta be painful more or less because...well, no lube, no condom, just skin versus skin. Raw, primitive, wild.

"Oh, fuck!" Fernando's voice reassured that as he tried to sit up but it was an utter failure.

"You should lie still for a while." Daniel sat up and looked at the other boy out of concern. "I'll get you some painkillers."

Fernando nodded in agreement and just lay still. Daniel got up and headed to the kitchen in hope of finding some first-aid kits there. When he returned, Fernando had already been back in board shorts and Daniel felt his cheeks flush realizing he’s the only one stalking stark naked about the boat.

Fernando took two pills and told Daniel he felt okay. "I'm sorry," the Dane murmured.

"Well, it wasn’t your fault," Fernando paused. "Not yours alone, though." And they both snickered naughtily.

"So...," Daniel looked around, darkness fell too fast but he had already randomly found light switches inside the wheelhouse and practically turned on most of them when he went to find medicines. "Are we okay to just anchor here overnight?"

"Yes, nobody's gonna care," Fernando replied, got up and sauntered towards his makeshift bar. Daniel was about to protest concerning the blonde’s physical condition but changed his mind seeing that the Spaniard looked quite fine. Fernando fumbled for a roll of fag from the Dunhill's pack left carelessly at the bar. "So," he asked without looking up from the table, a lit cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, "what would you like to drink after our wild thing?"

***

"And that time I was so wasted ‘til I couldn't even remember the name of my hotel. Hahaha!" Fernando guffawed good-humoredly, an umpteenth glass of cocktail in hand and he was in fact so wasted right now. Daniel laughed with him in queue every time Fernando finished a sentence. The song 'Take You There' by Sean Kingston roared out of the subwoofer. Daniel brushed aside golden bangs on the Spaniard's forehead and Fernando tried to restrain a smile.

"...Or we can leave the slums go to paradise. Babe it's up to you it's whatever you like," he crooned tipsily before pecking on the Dane's lips, and suddenly he got up and swayed his hips in a dance. Daniel chuckled joyfully. He watched as the blonde held his ‘Cosmopolitan’ up in the air and twirled around. The Dane held his hands out for support in case Fernando tripped but not actually touching him. Then the song 'For Your Entertainment' by Adam Lambert started, and the energetic Spaniard grabbed Daniel's hand and took him to the 'dance floor'.

_So hot, out the box. Can we pick up the pace?_   
_Turn it up, heat it up, I need to be entertained_   
_Push the limit, are you with it? Baby, don’t be afraid_   
_I’ma hurt ‘ya real good, baby_

"Let’s go, it’s my show. Baby, do what I say," Fernando sang along, looking at Daniel alluringly. And with that merely, Daniel's heart skipped a beat and he felt his flesh harden, once again. "I told ya, I’ma hold ya down until you’re amazed. Give it to ya ’til you’re screaming my name," the blonde whispered, moved closer until their breaths brushed against each other's skin. He murmured the lines against Daniel's lips teasingly, temptingly, seductively,

"Do you know what you got into? Can you handle what I’m ’bout to do? ‘Cause it’s about to get rough for you. I’m here for your entertainment.

“I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet. ‘Ya fallen angel swept ya off ya feet. Well I’m about to turn up the heat. I’m here for your entertainment."

Then he broke away and Daniel simply couldn't find his breath. He looked at the Spaniard, completely enchanted. The boy’s hips swayed in sync with the tempo and Daniel just blatantly stalked to him, grabbed the boy by his waist and spun him around to face him.

"No escaping when I start. Once I’m in I own your heart. There’s no way you’ll ring the alarm. So hold on until it’s over…" And then Daniel kissed him: a long, deep, French kiss. Their groins pressed against one another and their body languages asserted that they felt the same. When their lips finally withdrew from each other, Fernando giggled, leaned forward and whispered in the Dane's ear,

"I think I need lube this time."

  
***

Wet tongue gliding across Daniel's abs made his breath hitch. They were in bed in the Spaniard's cabin. Fernando snickered at the other boy's spasm and dragged his slick tongue lower to the waistband of Daniel's board shorts. He eased them off gently while continued twirling the tip of his tongue down to the Dane's crotch and claimed his cock whole in the hot mouth's cave.

Daniel arched and let a husky groan slip out of his lips. Fernando licked, sucked and nibbled the hardening flesh in a drunken state. He playfully bit the tip of Daniel's cock and featheredly tasted the flavor of Daniel's pre-cum. The Dane almost writhed when he uncapped a tube of lube and sheathed Daniel's erection expertly.

Without more warning, Fernando’s already-naked body straddled him and let the Dane's sleek cock gently slip into his burning path. Daniel gasped but thrust his hips up instinctively. His member had already slid in half the length when the Spaniard abruptly stopped, catching his breaths.

"Can you move?" Daniel whispered dryly. The blonde's distorted facial features told him that he might need more time getting familiar with it yet he continued pushing himself down to the hilt.

"Oh, fuck." And he almost collapsed down on Daniel's bare chest. Daniel held the boy's head up and pressed a soft kiss on the lips.

"Easy," Daniel whispered though his uneven breaths told otherwise. He kneaded Fernando's butt with both hands before forcing it to rock smoothly on top of him.

"Ah!" Fernando groaned, his cheek rested on the Dane's chest but he obeyed the speechless order to move nonetheless. After letting Daniel control the rhythm for a while, he sat up and sped up the pace of his hips.

"Oh, God," Daniel grunted and thrust his hips up, burying deeper into the boy. Their movements synchronized. Fernando lifted himself up all the length of Daniel's cock then slumped down so hard, Daniel gasped for breath while Fernando screamed as the stroke hit his prostate. The Dane thrust again and the blonde moaned louder. His back arched and his hips swayed in circle, his muscle clenching so tight it almost squeezed all senses out of Daniel and he couldn't help but scream in return,

"Oh, God, Fernando!"

The Spaniard panted and touched himself frantically. Daniel swatted his hand away and possessed Fernando's swollen cock with his hand. The boy arched even more, his lips parted gasping for breath alternated with moaning. Daniel grunted and pushed himself up, shoved Fernando backward carelessly making him fall down on his back on the bed.

Fernando was surprised but Daniel parted the blonde's legs wider and thrust in further until Fernando screeched. His head tilted backward, eyes squeezed shut and fingers wrenched the bed sheets about him.

Daniel pressed himself flat on the Spaniard’s body and kissed him hungrily. Fernando panted into the Dane's mouth when the other pounded into him faster and harder. He screamed Daniel's name over and over and over again. And when Daniel whispered stutteringly against his soft lips: "I wanna kiss you when I come," and claimed his mouth bloodthirstily, they came together for the second time of the day.


	9. Act 1: Ibiza (Chapter 9/9)

"Morning, sweetheart."

Fernando smiled at the tenderness in that voice and nestled up deeper without opening his eyes. The bed was just too soft to get up and strong arms which were tugging him closer were too warm to be true.

"Morning," Fernando murmured against the Dane's chest, feeling a wet kiss on his forehead and smiling wider.

"Hungry?" Daniel mumbled against the Spaniard’s blond hairline.

"Umm, what do you wanna have for breakfast?" Fernando asked, still closing his lids. He heard Daniel snicker.

"You," he answered frankly and the blonde couldn't help his cheeks from blushing. Fully awake now, he opened his eyes and hit the other boy's tattooed shoulder hard.

"Daniel!" He cried. The Dane laughed.

"Why? That's an honest answer!"

"Dan, we can't just have sex all the time on this boat!" Fernando yelled good-humoredly.

"Why not?" Daniel asked. And the blonde lay still, contemplating a suitable answer which he couldn't find.

"Err, I don't know," he yielded and Daniel guffawed. He rolled on top of the Spaniard and kissed him affectionately. Their morning erections pressed against one another demandingly and when Daniel broke away, he saw a glint of lust in Fernando's sparkling brown eyes. "Okay, then. If you ask for it, we can have sex for breakfast," he whispered coyly. The Dane smirked triumphantly and glided his lips from the corner of the blonde's mouth down along the jaw line to his throat and much further.

Fernando held his breath when Daniel reached the lower part and licked his erection hungrily. Then the Spaniard almost jolted out of bed when Daniel lifted his legs up and slid his tongue down to gingerly brush his entrance.

"D-Dan!" Fernando gasped breathlessly. Daniel resisted the blonde’s objection by jerking attempting uselessly to get away from his tongue. The Dane held him still by the legs and pushed his slick tongue further inside the hole.

If he thought he’d ever heard the loudest scream from Fernando, he's so damn wrong. This one won them all. And like the Spaniard's voice was an incentive, Daniel punched his tongue in harder, sucked that twitching pink flesh hungrier. And Fernando just screamed like he’s having the most torturous moment of his life, like he would come any minute soon without Daniel actually within him. "Dan-no-stop-I can't-ah!" He couldn't even put words together. He writhed so severely like someone had attached to him a smoldering bar of steel. Daniel's cock was so hard now and he knew he wouldn't be able to hold it long. He glanced around, looking for...

"Where is the lube?" He asked finally.

"Somewhere on the floor, you son of a bitch!" Fernando huffed and Daniel half-heartedly left the blonde's crotch to look for the lube. The Spaniard lay panting helplessly. He still couldn't catch his breaths when Daniel returned, hovering over him.

"Flip," the Dane ordered. Fernando gritted his teeth but turned over to lie on his stomach nonetheless. He heard the telltale sound of the uncapping so he hid his face in the pillow. Daniel's hands parted his legs wide apart and when the lube-coated cock thrust into him unceremoniously, Fernando had been already waiting for it.

***

They slept a couple of hours more then their grumbling empty stomachs woke them up demanding to be fulfilled with real breakfast - brunch, actually. They had toasts and bacon, then they tried to do fishing which was kind of unsuccessful.

"Why did I get only this thing?" Fernando pouted, holding a very tiny fish by its tail. The Dane snickered then pecked the blonde on the lips as a consolation.

"You’re too gorgeous to do this kind of thing," he said. Fernando pouted even more.

"That’s not an excuse!"

"That’s a reasonable explanation, you know?" Daniel pulled him to sit in his lap. "Because sexy people were born to serve mankind with one thing and one thing only."

Fernando rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Mankind?! Seriously?!"

"I'm sure everybody would love to have a piece of hot stuff like you." Daniel grazed his teeth along Fernando's nape down to his spine, sending spasm run through the blond boy’s body. "But right now you’re only mine." Then he sucked the back of the blonde's neck hard, leaving a purplish mark on his skin while grabbing Fernando's lower region through his shorts. Gasping in surprise, the Spaniard budged in the Dane's lap while his flesh got hardened from the touch.

"Stay still, will you?" Daniel hissed against Fernando's nape and the blonde reluctantly stopped being restless. Resting the back of his head on Daniel's shoulder, he closed his eyes, letting the Dane do whatever he wanted.

Frictions of rough fabric on his cock made him sporadically knee-jerk. Fernando moaned as Daniel smoothly slithered his hand under the cover and held the Spaniard’s cock firm in hand. The blonde fucked Daniel's hand as the other deliberately dawdled with it. Daniel grinned and licked the side of Fernando's throat, dragged his rough tongue down his shoulder and teasingly buried his teeth into the flesh there.

"Oh, God, Dan!" Fernando's body was moving of its own accord now, his bounce on the Dane's lap sent his buttock hit Daniel's restrained bulge under his shorts unintentionally - or maybe intentionally. The Dane squeezed his hand on purpose and Fernando shrieked tormentedly.

Daniel slid his other hand under the shorts from behind and almost made Fernando jolt when his finger pressed the pucker of his entrance. Fernando nearly beseeched as crying out shamelessly, "Dan, get inside me. Please fuck me now!"

And who was Daniel to oppose this gorgeous boy's entreaty? He yanked Fernando's shorts down far enough to reveal the flawless shape of his ass but didn't heed stripping them through. Fishing for lube which he intentionally put away in his pocket, his other hand also pulled his shorts down enough to free his erection from the choking confinement of cloth. He scrupulously sheathed his cock with the slick liquid then thrust into the boy in that sitting position.

Fernando groaned and arched until the back of his head rested on Daniel's shoulder. The Dane nibbled the soft skin as the Spaniard panted heavily and bounced on him. Daniel thrust his hips up in return intermittently but mostly he just sat still, savoring every stroke of sensation until reaching the point of uncontrollable self. He bit his lip, held Fernando by his hips and pounded into him senselessly. The blonde’s muscle around his cock clenched and twitched it almost drove Daniel out of his mind. He gritted his teeth but still heard himself whimper, "Fernando, oh, God, Fernando!" in the blonde's ear innumerable times before trying to muffle his voice by pressing his face against the Spaniard's shoulder. Until at last, despite so many times he had already come within twenty-four hours, Daniel exploded inside the boy.

Fernando collapsed on his back to the Dane's chest, his own seeds daubed his flat stomach and dripped down on his crotch. He closed his lids struggling to steady his breaths. When finally stopped panting dangerously, the blonde murmured exhaustedly,

"Can we please stop doing this at least during the next five hours? I think I’m getting utterly limp now."

Daniel laughed wearily. "Why five hours? That's too much," he joked. Fernando shifted on his spot with Daniel's cock still inside him. He rested his cheek on the Dane's shoulder.

"Four hours then," he murmured indulgently, eyes closed. Daniel guffawed before placing a kiss on the boy's lips amorously.

***

Afternoon came, Daniel and Fernando lazed around on the deck for a couple of hours then they had sex. They jumped off the yacht, swam around the island and when they lay soaking up the sun on the white beach, they fucked. They climbed back on the boat, made dinner out of what they got from fishing that morning, and after that Daniel pinned Fernando to bed and made the Spaniard his over and over again.

When Daniel woke up the next morning, everything that happened during the past two days was almost like a fantasy wet dream. They had breakfast in silence and Fernando drove the yacht back to the main island. It was the most suffering two hours of Daniel's life, knowing that when they arrived at the destination, real lives would hit them and things would resume their normal phase, which meant he’d have to go back to Copenhagen and Fernando would depart to London: a 600-mile discrepancy between the Spaniard and him.

For Daniel, it’s almost like they’re at the other ends of the world.

Normally Daniel didn't care much about relationships. In the past, he would just bid his overnight partners a kiss goodbye before grabbing his bag and walking away, never looking back. Being a freelance photographer, he traveled quite a lot. And Daniel knew it’s almost impossible to sustain a relationship of two people living in different countries, especially when you’re too young to think about settling down. But, for Christ's sake, why is he thinking about it now?!

Fernando moored the boat to the marina, he was very quiet, too. Daniel locked his eyes to the Spaniard’s back. He usually thought about this kind of good times as an exclusive souvenir from everywhere he'd been. How could this one differ from others?

Yet he wanted it to be different this time.

The Dane walked towards Fernando and stopped just behind him. "Can I call you later?"

His voice was so dry it shocked him. He swallowed a lump down his throat, waiting for Fernando's answer nervously. He even felt a lone butterfly flutter in his stomach.

"Sure." The blonde turned around and smiled sincerely at him. Their eyes locked for a long throttling moment before Daniel leaned over to kiss him on the lips.

It was a beautiful heart-wrenching kiss without a trace of lust, and that just freaked Daniel out even more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of the first act. See you in the second act. ;)


	10. Act 2: Paris (Chapter 1/7)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> L'amour de Paris!

Almost three dreary months had passed before Daniel felt his heart beat like it’s actually alive again.

He'd been to South Africa in the past months having a temporary contract with National Geographic for their new documentation project. After having gained wages, he got a whim of squandering them all somewhere.

His phone beeped, a new BlackBerry message received. He pushed a button then smiled elatedly to himself.

_**~«F. Torres»~:** What r u doing?_

Daniel typed back.

_**Daniel:** Weltering in my bed._

He almost typed ‘I miss you’, but resisted the urge in time.

_**~«F. Torres»~:** I'll go to Paris next week._

The text was simple yet Daniel had stared at it wordlessly for a long time, raking his brain whether he had any plan next week but found none.

_**Daniel:** What date exactly?_

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Monday 11st - Sunday 17th, the whole week._

Daniel almost jumped in overzealousness, he couldn't tell how much he’d missed the boy. He’d struggled so hard not to think about him all the past three months.

But then Fernando would be in Paris next week. Though it's even farther than London from here, at least Daniel would have an excuse to meet him. A leisure trip to Paris after the crazy temperature in South Africa…

What is he waiting for?

_**Daniel:** Which hotel will you be staying?_

***

He'd never been to Paris in autumn before. Cool draft shook multicolored foliage above him. Yellow, orange, red, brown, anything but green shades of leaves were too picturesque to take your eyes and the focus of your lens off. Daniel ambled through Montmartre while snapping shots most of the time.

He was squatting busily capturing images of Sacré-Cœur from a look-up angle when his vision was obstructed by pieces of cloth. "Good view down there?"

A familiar voice asked him, too familiar. Daniel glanced up instantly and couldn't help yelping with exultation, "Fernando!"

The Spaniard’s standing in front of him in white winter coat, slim-fit jeans and a brown pair of boots. His blond hair wavered in autumn breeze and his freckly face was as gorgeous as the image Daniel had already imprinted on the deepest part of his mind. The blonde smiled coyly at him. "What are you doing around here? I thought our hotel was in Trocadero," Fernando teased.

"Well, what about you?" Daniel stood up and stepped in for a hug or a kiss or whatever. It'd been three miserable months since the last time they saw each other and that had already been too long for him.

But Fernando stepped away.

Daniel's heart sank but the blonde just smiled sheepishly and the Dane wondered why he seemed so shy today. The Spaniard gesticulated to a group of people smoking not far behind him. "I'm with customers," he muttered. "It wouldn't look professional to be so affectionate during working hours, no?" He giggled.

"It's Paris! Nobody cares." Daniel stalked forward but Fernando stepped aside too fast again.

"Later, Dan." He instantly looked stern. "I’ve gotta go."

"When will you finish?" Daniel, acquiesced at last, asked.

"Quite late, I guess," the blonde replied. "I'll have biz dinner so no need waiting for me. I'll bb you then." And he walked towards his customers.

***

It's getting real late that Daniel’s unsettled. The hour hand of his watch was crawling to eleven and still no news from Fernando. Daniel was seriously thinking about checking on him when his phone beeped a familiar sound.

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Sleep yet?_

Daniel grunted.

_**Daniel:** 'Course not!_

He waited a full minute.

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Take metro to Arc de Triomphe station, exit 8. There's a club called Duplex._

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

_**Daniel:** Sure._

***

When Daniel arrived at Duplex, Fernando had already been piss drunk, as usual. The Spaniard introduced the Dane to Mr. Benzema, Mr. Chamakh and Mr. Gourcuff whom Daniel remembered were in the group of 'customers' at Montmartre this afternoon.

"Wouldn't it be unprofessional to go clubbing with your customers?" The Dane teased.

"It's part of business relations," Fernando answered joyfully, too drunk to care about anything.

They drank and danced together. When 'DJ Got Us Falling in Love Again' by Usher started, Fernando slung his arms around Daniel's neck and bent him down for a deep kiss.

All of Fernando's customers were taken aback but they left them alone fast enough. The blonde withdrew his lips and nibbled down Daniel's neck teasingly. "Fernando, stop." Daniel tried to break apart the molestation but Fernando resisted. Lifting his head up, he whispered seductively in the Dane's ear.

"So dance dance, like it’s the last last night, of your life life, Im'ma get you right. Cuz baby tonight, the DJ got us falling in love again," he crooned and crushed his groin with Daniel's. And after so many months, Daniel just missed him so much he was turned on right away. He groaned and thrust his uncovered desire back spontaneously.

They danced together, crazily bumped their lower regions into one another when tempos allowed until Daniel thought he wouldn’t be able to hold back the orgasm any longer, and he hadn't even really touched the boy yet. Then the song 'Love in This Club' started. Daniel gritted his teeth, why does God get a whim to pull a prank on him now?

And is this Usher’s night or what?

Fernando didn't miss a chance to murmur to him, his normally sweet voice sounded erotic, "I wanna make love in this club."

Oh, for Christ's sake! Inhaling deeply, Daniel tried his best to focus on something else rather than Fernando's hard erection under his jeans which kept slamming against him frantically.

_On the couch, on the table_   
_On the bar or on the floor_   
_You can meet me in the bathroom_   
_Yeah, you know I'm tryin' go_

Daniel didn't know what to do, he barely trusted his voice right now. His mind kept imagining scenes from the lyrics: of him fucking Fernando senseless on a couch or a table in this club, or of that gorgeous naked body lay spreading invitingly on the bar full of every kind of alcohols...

Oh. My. Fucking. God.

Fernando glided his lips along until they're hovering over Daniel's.

"Let's both get undressed right here. Keep it up boy then I swear. I'mma give it to you non-stop. And I don't care who's watchin'," the Spaniard even changed the word 'girl' to 'boy', and that was it.

Daniel gripped the blonde by his wrist and jostled through the throngs, heading somewhere which was definitely not the toilets. Fernando seemed at a loss. "Where are we going?" He asked confusedly in insobriety. Daniel struggled to even out his breaths so his voice wouldn't be stuttering.

"You don't think I’ll really fuck you in the club, do you?" He grunted. "And you’re too piss drunk, so we're heading back to the hotel."

Fernando pouted irritably. "Oh, come on, Danny! Couldn't it be in the loo? The hotel’s too far!" He pleaded. Daniel bit down his lower lip. He knew how horny Fernando was, it’s not so different with him but he needed some privacy, the club restroom was too cheap for this. They weren't one-night-stand..., okay, at least it had already been two nights, so far.

He hailed a cab and shoved the drunken Spaniard in recklessly. When he got in, the blonde didn't even give him a chance to tell the driver their hotel address. He hauled Daniel by his neck and crushed their lips together shamelessly.

"Whoa, whoa, easy boys." The driver was watching via the rearview mirror. Pushing Fernando away, Daniel gasped for breaths and told the driver.

"Square Hotel, Trocadero"

The driver nodded and did his job, heedless of what's going on in the backseat. Fernando pulled Daniel in for a lascivious kiss once more, his hand had already snaked down to the Dane's crotch.

"F-Fernando!" Daniel gasped when the blonde carelessly yanked down the zipper of his jeans and slid his hand in, found his way through the boxer then held the Dane's cock firmly. Daniel panted heavily. His cock had already been too hard and the ruthless strokes from Fernando blew him higher until it seemed unbelievable that he hadn't climaxed already.

"Do you miss me?" Fernando hissed in his ear, Daniel trembled.

"So fucking much," he hissed back huffily, arched and writhed frantically. His eyes were closed so that he could feel the Spaniard’s savage hand movement purely by the touch combined with the sexy smell of Dunhill from Fernando's hitched breaths and the tingling sensation of the blonde's hot lips on his.

"I miss you, too…," the blonde mumbled concupiscently, "…inside me," he finished the sentence and, without warning, lowered his head to swallow Daniel's cock whole in his mouth.

Daniel came almost immediately in that burning cave with a muffled scream.


	11. Act 2: Paris (Chapter 2/7)

"F-Fernando, easy."

Daniel was lying in a double bed in Square Hotel while Fernando hovered over his crotch, licking and nibbling his flesh which was way too effortless to get hardened again. Daniel panted heavily. Despite the limpness of orgasm just ten minutes ago, he was ready for the next fuck.

"Gosh!" Daniel jerked and arched, his hands wrenched the pillow his head's resting on. Why is Fernando this good at blow job? The heat surrounding his cock was so tormenting yet he resisted himself since it would be such a greenhorn to climax in Fernando's mouth right now one more time.

The blonde stripped Daniel's jeans off impatiently. Daniel struggled to sit up and hauled Fernando in for their lips’ crush. The Spaniard groaned and wrestled with his own jeans. After it seemed like an age had passed and Fernando’s still unable to even unbuckle them, Daniel swatted his hands away and took care of them. The blond boy lurched forward, kissed the Dane hungrily while letting the other extricate and yank his pants down.

Daniel slipped his hand to the crevice of Fernando's ass and teased the familiar pucker with a finger. The blonde jerked away from the igniting touch instantly, gasping, but of course Daniel wouldn't let him. Locking lips with Fernando, he sucked the boy's lower lip violently before sliding a finger in.

Fernando's wall suddenly clenched. The heat and tightness inside was too familiar it made Daniel's imagination run wild just thinking about his cock there instead of his finger. Fernando groaned louder into the Dane's mouth, his muscle twitched hard around the foreign intruder before his hips moved of its own accord. The Spaniard blindingly hit himself searching for his prostate inside, frantically craving Daniel's finger to brush against it. So Daniel dug his medius deeper, fucking the Spaniard mercilessly and grazing his nail against the wall.

Fernando screamed hysterically when Daniel found his spot and hit him ruthlessly, once, twice, thrice, until he lost his count. The Dane huffed and slid another finger in, parted them in a scissor-shape and raked Fernando on both sides of his path.

The Spaniard muffled his shriek on Daniel's shoulder and dug his nails into the Dane's back. Daniel panted in Fernando's ear, "Is it okay without lube?"

The boy nodded carelessly, couldn't muster his senses to put words together. Drawing his fingers out, Daniel lifted Fernando's hips and aligned the tip of his cock with the Spaniard’s pucker. His nose glided down the blonde's sweaty neck despite the chilly weather, then he’s taken aback a bit upon seeing a purplish hickey on the blonde's impeccable throat. He didn't recall making it so it must have been someone else's.

Who?

Suddenly his gut twisted severely. With whom had Fernando slept a couple of days ago since the mark seems so fresh? The thought made him shiver, not with anger or panic, but a bit of jealousy.

Only a bit.

He thrust inside Fernando so hard it almost shattered the boy.

***

"Oh, shit!"

Daniel groaned and half-opened his lids upon hearing the curse. He saw Fernando leap out of bed. The boy collected his clothes which were scattered all over the floor and put them on at an extremely rapid speed.

"What's wrong?" Daniel murmured in drowsiness.

"It's almost noon already!" Fernando snarled. "I have a meeting at one!"

Daniel chuckled. "Well, we have another hour left.” He smiled smugly then closed his eyes to resume his slumber but still heard the Spaniard fuss.

"And without preparation, garhhh!" Even under the darkness of his eyelids, Daniel could still clearly visualize Fernando throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. His smile widened.

Then abruptly all the movements stopped, from what he heard. Daniel raised his brow out of curiosity but still had no motive to open his eyes. Then there was this swift flight and the next thing he knew was that something heavy had fallen on top of him. "What's this?" Daniel laughed animatedly before Fernando gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"We forgot to say 'good morning'," he murmured to the Dane's lips and Daniel couldn't help but smile so wide. He shifted so Fernando was lying on top of him and he wrapped him firmly in his arms.

"Good morning, babe," he whispered and kissed the Spaniard wholeheartedly.

"I’ve gotta go," Fernando mumbled after pulling away from that longing morning kiss. Daniel kissed the blonde's forehead and lingeringly placed his wet lips on it like that.

"When will you finish your work?" He murmured against the freckly skin.

"I dunno, but not as late as last night," the Spaniard mumbled back.

"Call me, okay?" Daniel kissed the blonde on his hairline again amorously. "I'll be around."

***

The brownish-grey Eiffel Tower which stood loftily in front of him looked so flair and captivating despite being a hundred-year-old and so many times Daniel had seen it. Together with colorful leafages of fall, the tableau was enhanced to look surreal beyond anything on earth.

Daniel strolled about Champ de Mars. People gathered around and under the fascinating towering iron-lattice figure. It's only three in the afternoon and the weather was too nice. After some photo snapshots, he bought a cup of black coffee from a stand around the square.

His phone blurted out an incoming-call ringtone and he’s immediately elated upon seeing who’s dialing. "Yes, honey?" He picked up.

"Dan, where are you?" Fernando asked from the other end of the line.

"Eiffel Tower," the Dane answered. "Wanna join me?"

"Sure, I'll be there."

"Hmm?" Daniel quirked up his brow. "You finished?"

"Yes," he said. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Excuse me," a guy with short blond hair approached Daniel after he’d hung up. "Could you please take pictures of us?" He had a digital camera in hand.

"Sure." Daniel smiled and took the guy's camera. The blond guy nodded in gratitude then jogged back to his friend: a short-brown-haired guy. "Say cheese, you guys," Daniel said and took their photos with the Eiffel Tower as one of the world’s most astonishing and classic backgrounds. He took other several shots from different angles with their different postures. And from the way their arms slithered around each other, Daniel took note that they were anything but friends.

"Where are you guys from?" He asked after the guy had come to thank him and fetch his camera.

"Munich, Germany." The guy grinned his Bavarian grin. "You?"

"Copenhagen," Daniel answered.

"Thanks, anyway." He smiled then turned back to his friend and shouted across the lawn, "Poldi, let's find something to eat. I'm starving!"

Daniel smiled to himself. Paris, city of love like everyone always called. People came from all over the world to imbue its one-of-a-kind fairytale-like romantic milieu, and most tourists visiting Paris were lovers more than most.

Fernando and he were not lovers..., not officially if one would say. Yet it's the first time Daniel came to Paris with someone but his parents or high-school bunch of friends. So, yeah, it's somewhat exclusive enough.

"Guess who?"

Darkness fell upon his eyes when two warm hands tightly obstructed all the lights and a familiar voice whispered in his ear from behind. Think of the devil and the devil is here, Daniel smiled.

"My doll," he answered.


	12. Act 2: Paris (Chapter 3/7)

"I’ll jump," Fernando said and crouched before leaping with hands up in the air. Daniel drummed his finger on the shutter button capturing every shot of that scene with the Eiffel Tower behind Fernando. "Haha! Did you get it?" The Spaniard asked after having landed safely on the brownish lawn. He flitted gleefully to Daniel. "Can I see it?"

The Dane changed modes on his Nikon and browsed through the display gallery. With high speed shutter, every shot of the leaping Spaniard was there. And when he flipped through all the images rapidly, it's like looking at an animation of serial sequences.

"That's so funny!" Fernando laughed, his arms clung to the Dane's neck and he muffled the laughter by burying his face in the other's collar. "I look like a Donald Duck who’s trying to fly but utterly fail."

Daniel laughed. "You look like a sexy Donald Duck then." He nuzzled up against the cluster of blond hair affectionately.

Fernando smiled. "Let's walk along the Seine, shall we? And you'll definitely have to take my pictures.” His hand slid down to cling to the Dane's arm and dragged him on the path to the Seine River.

The Spaniard ambled past numerous local shops en route and turned around intermittently to let Daniel capture his face in the frame though Daniel would sneak for anyway. They stopped by a gelateria and had a cone each in hand when walking away. Despite chilly weather, the sun shone on.

They arrived at Pont Alexandre III and Fernando, cheerfully, sprang up onto the elegant handrail, sitting with legs dangling. Sunlight glazed his shimmering blond hair while he tilted his head to lick the melting and dripping orange-sherbet gelato off its cone.

Daniel held his breath while rapidly pressing the shutter button. He didn't know why he thought everything Fernando did always contained too much sexiness. The boy nibbled at his ice-cream then looked up and smiled coyly at the Dane.

Daniel could do nothing but stride towards the Spaniard like he was a hypnotizing magnet. He stopped between Fernando's parted legs so the Spaniard was straddling him. Fernando raised an eyebrow, questioning the other's doing. Daniel smiled fondly at him and whispered, "You have sherbet smudged on your mouth," and pointed at the corner of his own mouth as an indication.

"Oh." Fernando flushed a bit and was about to lick himself off, but Daniel was faster, he leaned forward and licked the smudge off the corner of the Spaniard's mouth with his tongue.

"Yummy." Daniel swept his tongue over his own lips after pulling away just an inch from Fernando. His breaths still hovered over the blonde's cheek when Fernando snickered sheepishly and shoved Daniel away until the other staggered backward.

"That's so cliché!" He shouted despite flushed cheeks before leaping off the railing and swiftly running away towards Petit Palais. Daniel guffawed good-humoredly and jogged after him to Avenue des Champs-Élysées in no hurry.

***

“How about this one?”

Fernando turned away from the looking glass with a dark-brown Dior Homme fedora on his head, it looked so flair on those blond hairs so Daniel shrugged.

“Good.”

Fernando took the hat off, voice irritated, “come on, this is the last one already! How can I choose one if you keep saying they’re all look good on me?!”

“Everything looks good on you. It’s just a fact,” Daniel said. “And you look good without anything on, too.” Fernando gaped at him incredulously.

“Daniel!”

“Why?” The Dane laughed good-humoredly. The blonde pouted.

“Okay, these two.” He picked two hats up. “Choose one.”

“Buy both.”

“I don’t have that much money!”

“But I have.” And Daniel fetched both hats off Fernando’s hands and made his way to the cashier.

“No, Dan, stop!” The blonde restrained him by the arm but his interest was sidetracked fast. “Oh, this tie looks so fine.”

Daniel turned around and wrinkled his nose at a maroon necktie in the Spaniard’s hand. “I hate necktie.”

“What? Why?” Fernando put the tie over Daniel’s shirt, envisaging him actually wearing it. “It looks good on you.” Then he swung it around Daniel’s neck.

“I’m not good at knotting neckties…and other things, too. Actually, I’m good at undressing rather than putting clothes on.” Fernando laughed a sincere chortle while deftly knotting that Dior tie on Daniel’s neck.

“Then let me do the dressing and you do the opposite, yeah?” Finishing with it, he leaned in until Daniel could feel the Spaniard’s hot breaths on his lips, then his flirtatious voice alluringly whispered the next sentence, “I’ll knot it for you every morning for the rest of your life if you'd like.” His lips curled up into a teasing smile before he lunged in giving Daniel a peck on the corner of his mouth. “Go to the cashier,” Fernando mumbled, a tinge of red on his freckly cheeks and that was so adorable in Daniel’s eyes. “You can buy me those two hats and I’ll buy you this tie, okay?”

***

What would his life be if every morning he wakes up and finds Fernando’s beautiful brown eyes already looking at him from the other side of the bed? They might have morning sex in addition to morning kiss perhaps, before taking shower together. They would help each other dress up, admonish the wrong patterns or colors of shirts and shoes, and Fernando would definitely attentively knot his tie for him. Then they would banter all their way downstairs to the kitchen. The Spaniard would cook breakfasts: toasts, eggs and bacons, and he would savor them all before winding up with a cup of black coffee while skimming through a copy of The Copenhagen Post. After that, they would give each other a wish-you-a-beautiful-day long deep kiss before driving their cars to their workplaces.

Would that be too impossible to happen in real life? Daniel wondered absorbedly.

“Why are you so quiet?” Fernando asked out of concern across the table they were waiting for dinner to be served. Daniel’s thought was retrieved back to reality, well, with that angelic creature sitting across from him now, it seemed a bit surreal anyway.

Daniel brushed that absurd illusion away. Don't be so high school, he scolded himself. The most important thing was that at this very minute he’s in Paris with Fernando and he had planned to relish every second of it since he packed his bag and stalked out the front door of his house in suburb Copenhagen that day. Why bother thinking about an unforeseeable future now?

He just wants to have fun, remember?

"Nothing." Daniel shot a wide smile back before tilting his head up to look at the clear night sky. They're on the rooftop of an eight-story building: a fine French restaurant in Saint-Germain-des-Prés district. "It’s a starry night, no?"

"Yeah, plus very fascinating scenery." The Eiffel Tower was twinkling outstandingly on the other side of Paris. It could be clearly seen from wheresoever in this city since it's the tallest structure of Paris metropolitan area.

"How's uncle Stevie?" It's a sudden question and Daniel felt a bit bizarre asking about his uncle from someone who wasn’t a relative.

"Good, business is currently going very well. He's in the States now, our new big fish. But I need to deal with some documentations in Paris during this same period so he took his other PA with him and left me alone here." The blonde shrugged.

"And everything’s going fine over here, yeah? I notice you finished your work quite early today."

"They just need more time to consider my proposal. It will be busier tomorrow and the next day." He locked eyes with the Dane's. "Why do you live in Copenhagen?" He asked, another out-of-nowhere query in this conversation.

"My mom, uncle Stevie's sister, married to my Danish father." And he shot a question back, "and why do you live in London, exactly?"

"It's fun there." Fernando giggled good-humoredly. "English people are nice. I do miss Spain sometimes, too. But with a lot more places to travel, I don't have that much time to think about it." The Spaniard averted his gaze to the sky and they were quiet for a moment.

"Oh, shooting star!" The blonde yelped energetically and Daniel turned around in time to see a meteor falling from the sky. Turning back, he found Fernando shutting his eyes. And with those praying hands, he'd been lost in thought for a long silent minute.

"Made a wish?" Daniel asked teasingly when Fernando finally opened his lids.

"Yep," the boy answered.

"What was it?"

"Not gonna tell," Fernando replied. His cheeks flushed a bit and Daniel thought he really looked like a high-schooler when he was shy. "Well, it was about you, though," he murmured, not looking at Daniel.

"What?" The Dane laughed so vivaciously this time. "You have to tell me then."

"No."

"Come on, honey," Daniel urged. "If it’s something else, I'm not gonna nag. But this is about me so I have a right to know, right?"

"No," was his resolute answer.

"Fernando, come on. Beauty, what was it that you wish about me?"

"Random stuff."

"I don't think so." Daniel laughed. "Okay, let me guess then. Was it about my sexual behaviour?"

"No!" The Spaniard burst out laughing joyfully.

"Was it about my physical appearance?" He still couldn't avert the issue from smutty topic.

"No."

"What was it? Tell me."

"One more guess."

"Okay." A thought flashed into his mind. Though he didn't feel like speaking it out loud, Daniel heard his own voice utter before he could stop himself, "was it about our relationship?"

Daniel felt a pang in his chest after that. His gut twisted severely and he felt like biting his tongue when they both fell into a suffocating silence. He didn't know what he should expect from the blonde's lips, or he just shouldn't expect anything at all.

"I wish we could be like this forever," Fernando blurted out finally, his cheeks flushed crimson and he almost forgot to breathe.

And Daniel's heart just literally leapt up in his chest and raced at an incredible speed until he felt a bit dizzy. Then he heard his voice whispering under his breaths by its volition, once again,

"Me, too."

***

Fernando had been very busy two days later and Daniel had to stalk Paris alone. He didn't mind though, it’s what he always did. Being a photographer, he usually sauntered alone around beauteous towns and snapped shots of their stunning spectacles, which were somewhat aplenty here in Paris.

He ambled across the city, caught metro to here and there then ended up in Red Light District.

Shops along Boulevard de Clichy were decorated with black and red shades, dim twinkling fluorescent lights and dark voluptuous weltering corners. The Dane stepped into one of them unwaveringly. It's a small shop with no one inside except a fat guy with beard who continued reading a copy of Playboy in hand heedlessly of newcomer. Daniel looked around shelves full of dildos, handcuffs, fantasy costumes and other adult toys.

Well, he swore to God he had no specific intention entering the shop in the first place. But now…Daniel smirked smugly to himself as naughty ideas founded in his mind.

This looks like so much fun.


	13. Act 2: Paris (Chapter 4/7)

There were knocks on his door so Daniel put a magazine he’d been reading down. It’s already ten in the evening and the person on the other side of the door could be no one but Fernando who had just finished a long day of work.

"Hi," Daniel greeted after opening the door.

"Hi," Fernando said and jostled in wearily. He sat on the edge of Daniel's bed, the Dane followed.

"You have dinner yet?" He asked out of concern. Fernando nodded, staring blankly at the floor, before abruptly throwing his back onto the bed, arms spreading carelessly like a pair of wings.

"Oh, my God, you’d never know how glad I am that it’s the end of the day finally," he murmured. Taking a place on the bed beside him, Daniel bent down and kissed the Spaniard's softly on his temple.

"It's all gone now, you did well for the day," mumbling consolation against the Spaniard’s soft skin, Daniel could feel Fernando smile.

"Yeah." He took a deep breath then shifted to nuzzle up to the crook of Daniel's neck. "Can I stay here tonight?"

"Sure," Daniel gave another wet kiss on Fernando's forehead affectionately. They stayed like that for a while before the blonde withdrew.

"I guess I’ll have to take a shower," he murmured.

"Sure," Daniel said again.

***

Daniel was closing his eyes. He didn't fall asleep, just let his eyes rest a bit after a long day. He consciously and clearly heard the Spaniard get out of the bathroom, his ginger steps on the carpeted floor and he felt a slight slump of bed from the blonde's weight. The next thing Daniel knew was that there were gentle breaths hovering over his lips. He half-opened his eyes.

"I thought you said you were tired," Daniel teased after seeing that Fernando was currently straddling him on all hands and knees. The blonde merely clad in a white bathrobe and now he was pulling a face, trying his best yet unsuccessfully to look innocent.

"I didn't do anything," he said and curled his lips up mischievously, "yet."

"Hmm…," Daniel quirked up his brow then wrapped the Spaniard in his arms and flipped them over sending Fernando lie on his back with him on top. The blond boy giggled. "Too late to change your mind now," he declared and kissed him on the lips.

Fernando moaned and arched up so their groins were pressed against one another. His hands deftly unclothed Daniel's shirts and pants while the Dane’s hand snaked between Fernando's legs. His fingers scraped up teasingly along the boy's inner-thigh until it disappeared under the parting fluffy robe. Fernando groaned louder into the Dane's mouth as Daniel slid two fingers into him.

He fucked the other boy in a gently and steady rhythm, aroused him bit by bit. Then he rolled over again, sending Fernando lie on top of him this time. The blonde grunted a little in protest when Daniel pulled fingers out and fished for something in a drawer of a bedside cupboard.

Fernando didn't pay any attention since he thought it was lube. Yes, one of them was actually a tube of lube, but the other thing was...

The Spaniard really didn't pay any attention. He kept kissing Daniel until something cold and tiny yet vibrating was pressed against his entrance. "Wha-?!" Fernando jerked away immediately. Their lips broke apart and he definitely had to gasp for breaths. The electrifying vibrating sensation sent an intense spasm run up his spine and creep in his veins. The blonde looked at Daniel in panic and the Dane grinned back naughtily. "D-Daniel, what's that?" Fernando stammered, panting. The thing was still crushed against the pucker of his ass and he sporadically jolted but also seemed in full control of himself now.

"Nothing much," Daniel answered and pushed the thing in.

Fernando shrieked and arched fervently. Vibration was something manageable when it happened outside his body; when it's within, it's another story completely. Every bit of his muscle now twitched so hard from the immense titillation. His wall was throbbing and clenching and he was trembling.

"D-Dan, ah!" Despite the sound of protest, his back bent harder sending his ass up as Daniel thrust the small vibrator with his middle finger deeper into the boy.

"Easy," Daniel whispered in Fernando's ear. The Spaniard grunted,

"How could I- ah!" He collapsed down on Daniel, huffing and choking. Shutting his eyes, he tried his best to stabilize yet relish the thrilling sensations at the same time.

When Fernando seemed to be able to handle the situation, Daniel reached out to the bedside cabinet one more time. Sadly Fernando was closing his lids, otherwise he would be cautioned beforehand when something steely cold cuffed his wrist. The blonde sprang his eyes open at the same time Daniel rolled them over and lifted the Spaniard's arms up to the headboard. Another click and both of his wrists were detained there, unable to move.

"Daniel!" Fernando gasped, budged his arms a try but the manacle was clung to the traceries of the headboard. Suddenly Daniel’s hand snaked down to the blonde’s parted thighs and turned up the vibration level on the controller which was connected to the tiny thing inside Fernando through a cord. "No, Dan! Ah!" The Spaniard writhed instantly as the level went up. Sweats sprouted on his forehead, neck and inner-thighs. He was lying hands up in bed, legs knee-up and wide apart, the white bathrobe still on but it’s such a mess: the top part slipped down slick skin exposing one of his shoulders, collarbone, white perspiring chest and red nipple, while the bottom part, even with his wide-parted legs and disarrangement, still covered Fernando's significant part on the verge of shadow. Yet from the distinctive bulge, Daniel was sure if he lifted the fabric higher just a mere centimeter, he would discover an aroused gem.

Daniel climbed on top of the boy, his legs were between Fernando's parted thighs and his arms held captive the blonde's upper-torso. He bent down, licked the Spaniard’s earlobe seductively before whispering in his ear in a husky voice, "You’re so freaking hot."

Fernando half-opened his lids, the corner of his mouth quirked up into a smirk. "Where is the dildo?" He asked jokingly though exhaustedly. Daniel guffawed.

"Mine is better than any fake cock."

The Spaniard shifted restlessly. "Give it to me," he whispered, defiance flashed in enthralling brown eyes.

Daniel smirked, adjusted to align his cock with the Spaniard's entrance. Despite the guise of composure, he could feel Fernando shivering, so slightly one wouldn't notice by sight. But with their bodies on each other’s edge, the fact was undisguisable.

"Feeling good?" Daniel teased, smiled cunningly and still didn't slide his cock in. Irritation flashed in Fernando's eyes and he answered with his lips hungrily crushing Daniel's and his legs wrapping around the Dane's buttock, pulling him closer in a manner unmistakably forcing him to thrust in.

Laughing against the Spaniard’s mouth, Daniel slowly slid in the familiar yet always tempting path.

The vibrator was still working inside and Fernando gritted his teeth to muffle the scream, his head upturned to a dangerous angle and his fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. Daniel gasped for breaths. The vibrator sent all Fernando's muscle inside wringing, twisting and twitching, and now that tremor was sending spasm up Daniel’s spine, too.

Oh, my God. How could Fernando hold on this long?

Daniel moved and that was even worse - wrong word, blew him even higher. Wrong word again, from what he heard, it's 'them', not only him, because Fernando’s scream was so loud that it resounded in his head. It mingled with Daniel's bellow and after some more thrusts, he couldn't distinguish whether it’s his voice or Fernando's anymore. "Dan-Dan-" Fernando panted and looked like he's about to faint from hyperventilation. Daniel slowed down his pace immediately and what he got in return was an angry shriek, "don't stop, you asshole! Fuck me harder!"

Daniel gritted his teeth and sped up the rhythm which drew out the piercing noise from the Spaniard even more. Fernando writhed, blindly felt for Daniel's mouth with his and the Dane granted him by crushing their lips together. He felt Fernando's legs behind him desperately urging him even further and he pounded into the boy harder and harder until at one moment he's so sure that the bed was going to break.

Finally Fernando came with the loudest scream. His turbid liquid spurted out all over the bathrobe and Daniel's stomach. Daniel closed his eyes, held his breaths and exploded inside him with the final thrusts.

He lay exhaustedly on Fernando for a long time, their hearts beat to the same cadence. The vibrator was still on and from Fernando's unsettled budging, he knew the boy was affected by it, too.

"I don't think I can make another round after what had just happened," he whispered wearily. His voice still quivered and Daniel wasn't sure whether it's because of their just-now orgasm or the new arousing desire. "Could you please get it out of me?" He begged gruffly.

Daniel did; he took the vibrator out, with his cum soaking and dripping off it and with a long deep sigh from Fernando in grateful relief, before taking the bathrobe off and releasing the Spaniard from detention.

Fernando lay still, panting. Daniel disappeared into the bathroom to wash himself off. When he returned, the blonde remained in the same posture. Climbing back on the bed naked, Daniel wrapped his arm around Fernando waist, tugged him closer and snuggled up to the blond boy’s neck.

"I feel like I can sleep the whole twenty four hours away," Fernando murmured.

"I'm sorry," Daniel mumbled against the boy’s soft skin.

"No, it's...terrific, a bit extreme but...I like it," the blonde paused. "I think it's the best sex I've ever had."

Daniel laughed honestly. "Seriously?"

"Yes," Fernando answered, sighed, then turned around and nuzzled up to the crevice of Daniel's neck. His arm slung loosely about the Dane's waist. "And you know what?" The Spaniard mumbled against the elastic flesh of Daniel's neck and he felt a bit ticklish because of that.

"What?" He asked, closed his lids and cuddled the boy tighter affectionately. Fernando nuzzled up deeper. What he said afterwards was almost unintelligible but Daniel unmistakably apprehended it all,

"I'm glad it was you."


	14. Act 2: Paris (Chapter 5/7)

“Look at my wrists!" Pouting, Fernando thrust his arms in front of Daniel showing his bruised wrists which were the result of the cut of manacles, purple lines were casted across white freckly skin. "How would I tell anyone about this if they snoop?"

"Tell them we had wild sex and that's a trace of handcuffs," Daniel answered.

"Pervert!" Fernando hit him on his upper-arm and laughed good-humoredly. They were having breakfast at the hotel before the blonde went to work.

"Hurry up, otherwise you'll be late." Daniel looked at his watch, they had already woken up late enough.

"’Kay." The Spaniard gorged in silence for another five minutes, finished his coffee and got up. "Gotta go." He’s about to walk away then hesitated for a minute, stalked back determinedly in Daniel's direction and bent down to kiss the Dane on the lips. "See ya later, ‘kay?" He murmured. "Wait for me for dinner.”

***

"Karim invited me and you to his house party tomorrow,"

Fernando blurted out when they’re having dinner at a Korean restaurant near Centre Georges Pompidou. Daniel raised his brow questioningly. "Who is Karim?"

"Oh, sorry." The blonde finished his morsel before explaining, "Karim Benzema, one of the guys you met at the club."

Fernando's choice of words unintentionally triggered something in Daniel. 'One of the guys'? Suddenly image of the hickey on the Spaniard's neck flashed into his mind - which was still noticeably evident on his neck, actually. On the spur of the moment, Daniel would like to ask whose it was.

But he resisted. Does he really want to know the truth? No, he doesn't. So he asked a somewhat-related question with exasperation in his voice, "What? Is that the right thing to do with your customer?"

"Why? He’s young, I'm still young. Can't we be good friends?" Fernando looked confused. Daniel snorted.

"With that fucking French?" And that's more sarcastic than what he’d intended.

"Why?" Fernando shifted in his seat restlessly then looked into Daniel's eyes and asked, "Jealous?"

Daniel didn't even flinch when he stared back and replied, "Yes."

Fernando guffawed. "Haha, come on! He knows you are with me. I mean, we made that quite obvious, remember?"

"You MADE it obvious," Daniel corrected, his fork scrabbled the rice fretfully.

"Whatever," Fernando dismissed. "So, are we going?"

This time Fernando's choice of words triggered an opposite response. Daniel almost couldn't hold back a smile at the word 'we'. It's like Fernando let him decide, if Daniel didn't wanna go, he wouldn't go, too, they would attend the party together or not at all.

"Sure, whatever you like."

  
***

Karim's house was in Marcel Sembat in southwestern Paris, rather called it a mansion. Throngs were already packed when they arrived and Karim who came to receive them looked joyous and gleeful.

"Fernando and Daniel." Karim held his hand out for Daniel to shake while he seemed more casual with the Spaniard. "Feel at home, yeah?" He winked at Fernando.

The blonde felt Daniel stiffen and automatically his hand crept up the Dane's arm. That seemed to calm him a bit.

"Sure," Fernando answered and shot a polite smile back.

"I'll be around if you want anything," he said and left them alone.

They headed upstairs and found an outdoor pool surrounded by people, snatched glasses of wine from a tray and almost had to shout when holding a conversation over the cacophony especially the deafening music. Daniel grabbed Fernando's hand and jostled their way to a vacant spot, leaned against the railing while sipping wine and watching other people getting wasted about. After some time, Daniel left the boy for another round of booze and when he came back, Fernando was not alone.

The guy was good-looking and Daniel could tell from a glance that he's flirting with Fernando. The Dane pursed his lips; so it's really impossible for Fernando to not be attractive all the time.

Why does the Spaniard have to be this hot? Daniel really would like to know.

"Danny." Fernando saw him returning so giving the Dane a very sweet smile. He took a glass of Gin Tonic off Daniel's hand and the Dane instantly slung his free arm around Fernando's waist and tugged him closer, obviously claiming him. The other guy quirked up his brow.

"Your friend?" He asked Fernando.

The blonde looked a bit hesitant, then said, "He's with me."

"Ah, I see." But the guy didn't waver, he held out his hand to Daniel. "Fabio Cannavaro, you can just call me Fabio."

Daniel took his hand for a shake half-heartedly while murmuring his name. Cannavaro sipped his wine and remained resting his back against the banister. "Here in Paris for leisure?" He asked.

"Biz," Fernando answered. "Karim is my customer."

"I see." They fell silent for a minute and Daniel was thinking about dragging Fernando away when Fabio fished for something in his pocket. "I get some nice stuff here." He took it out and white pills in that plastic case looked like anything but painkiller.

Daniel squinted, his grasp on Fernando's waist tightened automatically. "What are they?" Fernando tried to look innocent and Daniel didn't buy it a bit that he didn’t know what they were.

"MDEA," Fabio answered, taking one off the case. Daniel hissed in Fernando's ear,

"Fernando, don't!"

But the blonde didn't wince when Fabio dropped the pill in his glass of Gin Tonic. It dissolved in the booze fast, leaving only bits of white powder behind. "Make that my atonement for interrupting you guys." Fabio winked at Daniel. "Have fun." Then he made his way into the crowd and disappeared.

"You shouldn't drink that," Daniel grunted, tried to snatch Fernando's glass from him but the blonde held his hand away.

"Why not?"

"Because it’ll make you no good!" He yelled.

"I've tried it before," he said simply. Daniel sighed.

"And what did it feel like? Shit?" He snorted.

"Fun," Fernando answered, locking eyes with Daniel defiantly while sipping his gin. "So much fun." He withdrew his lips from the glass and leaned in, used his tongue to lick the Dane seductively on the lips. "Just don't leave me alone, okay?" He whispered. "From this minute onwards you’d never know what's gonna happen."

Daniel gritted his teeth and grumbled under his breaths, "Sure as hell!"

***

The drug took effect on Fernando fast enough.

Not only him that was stoned, most of the people in this party seemed to be collectively drawn to the delirium of euphoria, too. You could tell from the way they walked, talked, laughed, and some even almost fucked each other there in front of public eyes.

Fernando was crooning along a French song from the subwoofer of which Daniel had never heard and he doubted the blonde had. Yet at this moment the Spaniard seemed to be fluent in French and knew every lyric. "Danny." Turning around and stumbling forward, Fernando slumped against the Dane's chest where Daniel's arms had already open wide for him. The blonde’s cheek rested flat on the position of his heart, his lips curled up into a very happy smile. He closed his eyes and said, "I'm horny."

Yeah, of course, you are.

"Let's go back." Daniel brushed the bangs off Fernando's forehead. But before he could budge to lead them out of this abode, the Spaniard's hand grabbed and squeezed his crotch, hard. Daniel jolted. "Fernando!" He gritted his teeth. The blonde smiled wider mischievously.

"Let's go to some closets," he pleaded. His chin was on Daniel's chest and he pouted, asking the other boy to kiss him at the same time. Daniel bent down to suck his lower lip and Fernando had moaned and panted simply from that already.

His hand on the Dane's crotch clenched harder.

Oh, fuck! "We can't have sex here!" He grunted, his lips brushed against the Spaniard’s from doing that.

"Why not?" Fernando snickered and pressed his body flat against the Dane's. Daniel bit down his lip at the bulge under the boy's jeans. Even through the rough fabric, the friction of their groins’ brushing turned him on without an effort.

"Having problem with that?"

A voice interrupted them and they turned around instantly. Fabio was there, a glass of booze in hand. Daniel's arms around Fernando tightened out of possessiveness while Fabio grinned smugly, asking, "Need a hand?"

Daniel was about to shot back, 'fuck off, will you?' but Fernando's faster, he sneered,

"I'm his whore...," his dazzling brown eyes swept over Fabio from head to toes contemptuously, "...not yours."

Then he turned around and kissed the Dane lustfully on the lips as a proof that he's Daniel’s, entirely.


	15. Act 2: Paris (Chapter 6/7)

"Fernando," Daniel huffed in the boy's ear, they were in a wardrobe - real wardrobe - wherein several pieces of clothes were kept: mostly formal suits, and Daniel wished that they wouldn't get spunked after they had finished what they're about to do.

Oh, yes, he remembered saying he wouldn't fuck Fernando in the club restroom. Yet now he was, in someone else's wardrobe at someone else's house. Though people around him were doing the same: sneaking in some shadowy corners and fucking, how was that different from the first night he’s here in Paris if he just shagged Fernando carelessly at Duplex?

But tonight he's too drunk to care.

Music from the subwoofers outside was so deafening Daniel's sure nobody's going to hear them if they even cared enough to check. It’s dark in here; only a small ray of light sneaked in through the gap between wardrobe doors, but they had thoroughly known each other's bodies until no light was actually required. Fernando unbuttoned Daniel's jeans deftly despite the drunkenness and yanked them down before hurriedly stripping off his own clothes and discarding them on the floor. He hauled Daniel in for their lips’ crush and clung to the Dane's torso with straddling legs.

"Dan," the blonde whispered in a shaking voice, an arm slung around Daniel's shoulder while the other hand fished for the Dane's erection. He caught and squashed it hard drawing a stuttering moan from Daniel. "I love your cock," Fernando whispered hoarsely, his teeth grazed down Daniel's ear then he stopped to suck the other's earlobe, "and I love your ears."

Daniel laughed animatedly. He was tipsy from so many glasses of booze: tequila, vodka, gin, and wine were mixing in his stomach and began their full effects on his brain. But the Spaniard was farther than tipsy or drunk, he was stoned, high and horny, and that all combined within Fernando was way too hot to handle. He bet Fernando wouldn’t remember anything when he woke up tomorrow, not to mention severe headache and woefits. His cock was throbbing when the Spaniard prodded it at his own entrance. Fernando groaned, his senses were more sensitive than usual from drugs. Daniel pressed himself flat against the boy so the Spaniard's back was pushed against the closet wall while he slowly eased his cock in.

Fernando whimpered incoherently. His nails dug into the Dane's upper-arms, his legs parted wider yet still slung loosely around Daniel's waist in a standing sex position. He hissed against Daniel's earlobe before gliding his lips down to his shoulder, "I love your tattoo." Fernando kissed tattoos on the Dane’s shoulder as Daniel buried himself to the hilt and thrust in and out sending the blonde’s back intermittently hit the wall behind. His skin was so hot it's like he was a heat generator and every time Daniel's breaths brushed against the soft skin of his ears, the boy almost jerked away with over-sensibility. "I love your lips, too," Fernando continued babbling dreamily. His lips glided across Daniel's and nibbled them teasingly. Daniel smiled but he didn't actually heed what Fernando's saying, he focused all his senses on the lower region, savoring every second of every thrust. Their rhythm was accelerating now and Daniel panted heavily to the crook of Fernando's neck then noticed that purplish hickey on the Spaniard’s skin.

Oh, yes, alright. He knew they’re not official lovers and he also slept with other girls and boys in the past months. But still he couldn’t help his gut from twisting peculiarly and a feeling of jealousy upon seeing that mark on the boy’s - this boy he’s fucking - impeccable neck. Fernando might have slept with a bunch of guys during that period of time, but for Christ’s sake, Daniel didn’t wanna see any fucking evidence of it!

On the spur of the moment, Daniel pressed his lips on that same spot on Fernando’s neck and sucked hard, intending to cover up all proofs of the Spaniard being with someone else so he could delude himself that the blonde was all to him and him only.

At least for now.

"Oh, God!" Fernando panted, muffling his noise on Daniel's firm shoulder. They were about to reach climaxes and Fernando was delirious enough to keep on raving, "Danny, I love your hair and I love your eyes... My boy, I love everything about you," he huffed, gasped for breaths, then leaned forward and whispered that poisonous voice in Daniel's ear,

"Do you love me?"

And with that, it's like Daniel was hypnotized by the words. "Yes," he whispered back distractedly, then realized what he'd just said. But at that moment, at that precise split second, from the bottom of his heart…,

He really meant it.

"Yes, I do," Daniel reiterated whisperingly, his throat suddenly dried up and his heart beat so fast. Yet he didn't think Fernando could hear what he'd just uttered because instantly, the Spaniard screamed from the Dane's final thrusts and they came, together again.

Or if he did hear, Daniel thought as dizziness from orgasm hazed his mind, Fernando wouldn't remember any bit of it tomorrow anyway.

***

As he speculated, Fernando didn't remember anything the next morning, not even their crazy sex in the wardrobe. He had a severe headache that couldn't get up from Daniel's bed, but according to his memory, he didn't have any appointment today.

So he took painkillers and they ordered breakfast - brunch, actually - in bed: full French breakfast, including croissants with homemade jam and butter, cheeses, parfait and coffee. When their meals arrived, Fernando had already felt a bit better. They sat together with back against the headboard, trays in their laps and Fernando started his brunch with the parfait. Scooping the frozen yogurt up with a spoon, he licked the substance to taste the flavour then pouted cutely with content.

Daniel was chewing on his croissant when the spoon full of creamy element tapped his nose lightly. Lifting his head up from the tray, he still didn't know what had happened but definitely feeling a wet blotch on the tip of his nose. Fernando snickered. "You look like a puppy who lapped the milk and got it smudged on his nose." Daniel bit down his lower lip.

"How about this?" Then he lunged forward, grabbed Fernando's cheeks with both hands and smeared his daubed nose on the Spaniard's. Fernando laughed lively when the frozen yogurt got back at him to the same effect, his nose was now smudged with the white cream. He giggled.

"Careful, you'll knock your tray over," Fernando murmured coyly. But when Daniel still locked eyes with him at this proximity, unmoved, the Spaniard chortled even more. "What?"

Daniel didn't answer but leaned over and licked off the yogurt on Fernando's nose with the tip of his tongue.

It's ticklish, and the blonde couldn't help blushing a little. Averting his gaze down to the dark-color duvet, he heard Daniel snicker. Then the Dane leaned in again, gently bit the tip of the Spaniard's nose, sending Fernando flush harder. "We both look like naughty puppies now," Daniel grinned, "even biting each other."

"You are the only one who bites!" Fernando retorted and pouted, and Daniel couldn't help biting that juicy lower lip as a bonus.

"Beware of falling in love with my puppy's bite," Daniel murmured, his teeth grazed along Fernando's jaw line down to his throat. "You know you'll love it just like you've already loved everything about me."

Fernando laughed, tried to shove the Dane away but Daniel didn't budge. "You sassy boy! What make you think that I love everything about you?!"

"I dunno," Daniel answered while biting the spot between Fernando's neck and collarbone. "I just guess."


	16. Act 2: Paris (Chapter 7/7)

It was their last two days in Paris.

Daniel didn’t know time could fly by this fast when he spent it with Fernando, now he had only two days left.

They sauntered around town under sunshine and cool breeze. The sight of Fernando under foliage of fall was like the scene had just popped out of a painting. It's Saturday so Paris was swarmed. They crossed a small bridge to Île de la Cité, intending to walk around Notre Dame de Paris.

The Seine glistened as its stream eluded the concrete pillars of the bridge and continued flowing to its dream destination. Stopping in the middle of the structure, Fernando gazed down at the perpetual gushing tide. He didn't wince when a familiar arm clasped his waist from behind and Daniel’s nose nuzzled up to his freckly cheek.

"What are you thinking?" He murmured against the sweet skin.

"About what else I’ve to finish here," the Spaniard answered softly.

"Today or tomorrow?"

"Maybe tomorrow morning," he murmured.

They fell silent and Daniel's now staring at the river, too. Yet before the gloomy mood would take over them, Fernando budged.

"I wanna eat macaron," he chirped, turning around to Daniel. "Let's find a pâtisserie."

"Okay." Daniel smiled and Fernando took him by the hand, hauling him to the tiny island in the middle of the Seine.

They chose a café and sat outside, ordered macarons with tea. They’re silent, soaking up scents and scenes of Paris in autumn. Most of the stores around here were gift shops selling souvenirs of Paris in every format: antique, handcrafted, up to modern creative-designed goods and gadgets, and café and restaurants. Colors of numerous kinds of fruits in cardboard boxes, handmade dolls in garish garments and tawdry flowerpots on windowsills mixed with fading leaves above their heads were so vivid and dazzling like looking through a kaleidoscope.

And when Daniel looked down at their table to avert his eyes from the gaudy giddiness, the flashy macarons in fine china didn't help at all.

"Why don't you eat?" Fernando asked when he noticed what Daniel had kept doing was glancing around and sipping tea.

"They’re too sweet." Wrinkling his nose, the Dane looked at the pile of macarons with distaste. Fernando rolled his eyes.

"I'm very sweet, too, and you always love to taste me," he said unabashedly and grinned a teasing grin. Daniel laughed.

"Well, that's different."

"How?"

Fernando’s eyes locked with his, his lips nibbled at a light green macaron. He looked so naughty that it urged Daniel to lunge forward and taste him. "Because aside from being so sweet, you’re also hot, sexy, captivating, exciting, wondrous, poisonous, addictive, divine, breathtaking and absolutely stunning. Umm, I guess that's all the adjectives I could think of for how you're different from other candied yet mediocre things I've ever tasted."

Fernando choked, his face flushed. "You do have such an incredible imagination, comparing macaron to me," he murmured.

***

"What does Paris mean to you?"

They're walking along Champs-Élysées, hand in hand. The avenue was swarmed with both pedestrians and vehicles passing through. They passed by Louis Vuitton headquarter and dropped in.

"City of love," Daniel answered. Fernando picked light-brown sunglasses up though they’re chained to the shelf. He put them on and turned to the Dane.

"You're such a romantic asshole," he said. "I would say it's a city of fashion."

"Some say it's city of light 'cos Paris has never actually slept," the Dane replied, watching Fernando browsing a cloth rail full of shirts adoringly.

"Okay, so it's city of lust for me," the blonde said, sticking his tongue out shamefully for saying such a thing, and that’s so adorable in Daniel’s eyes.

Daniel chuckled. "Sure, it's absolutely undeniably a city of desire."

"It's full of sexiness." Fernando walked about a round shelf of leather shoes in the middle of the room. "Every time you look around Paris, what you see is erotic beauty."

"Paris is full of fairy tales," Daniel prattled on. "Moulin Rouge, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Man in the Iron Mask, everyone coming here wants to be a part of it."

"It's a city of art." Fernando put a newsboy hat on his head, looking at a mirror. "The Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Mona Lisa or Place du Tertre. Arts are what shape Paris: from Sacré-Cœur to Galeries Lafayette to La Défense."

Daniel started to run out of words. "Every time I look at Paris…," he tried to beat the Spaniard, "I see its glorious past continually flourishes into the oncoming beauteous future." Are we in a debate class now? Daniel wondered, amused.

Fernando turned around, strode towards him and put a duckbill hat on the Dane's head. "But every time I look at Paris, from this minute onwards, what I will see is now," his brown eyes stared into Daniel's and the Dane didn't find any wavering bit of pretense in them. He found himself paralyzed, holding his breath out of too much anticipation. "The wonderful moments we spent here together," the Spaniard whispered, "it could be next week or five years later, but every time I think of Paris...," he leaned in until his lips brushed against Daniel's, "I will think of you."

And then he kissed Daniel, and Daniel kissed him back. His heart beat so fast and he tugged Fernando closer, embraced him tight until he's afraid he would crush the boy.

He wished he wouldn't have to let him go.

But then Fernando gently withdrew. They stood there, breaths brushed against one another's cheeks. And when Daniel inclined with a whim to kiss him again, Fernando dodged. The blond boy smiled faintly, sadly, at him.

Then he put that Louis Vuitton newsboy hat down and walked away.

***

"So beautiful, isn't it?"

Fernando's voice uttered from behind. Daniel took his eyes off the viewfinder of his Nikon, smiling contentedly.

"Yes, it is."

The scenery before them was Paris under sunset. Orange shade from the last spectrum of lights glazed the sepia hue of edifices down below with vivid spots of red and yellow leaves at intervals. From this point at the top of the Eiffel Tower combined with the crystal-clear sky, they could see the city spreading out as far as forty miles.

"Where did you go?" Daniel asked but still not turning around.

"Bought some coffee." The Spaniard handed a small paper cup containing hot, dark and mouth-watering-scent liquid to the Dane.

"Thanks."

He sipped his coffee, it's hot and scalded his tongue. Fernando snickered watching him fanning his burnt flesh, but after a moment Daniel just put the cup down on a stand beside him and continued capturing the scene of the sunset Paris. The Spaniard observed him in silence then stepped closer, embraced Daniel tightly from behind.

"Hmm? Fernando?" Daniel quirked up his brow, Fernando was snuggling up to his nape, both arms held Daniel's torso, hugging him close.

"Don't heed me, you can keep on taking photos," he murmured against Daniel's skin. "I just want to stay like this for a while."

And how the hell could he do that?

Daniel didn't budge, he stood in that same posture though stopped taking photos a long time ago. The marmalade disk was sinking into the far horizon of Paris renaissance skyline like it was eaten up bit by bit by an unseen monster. Fernando was still, too, his breaths brushed against the back of Daniel's neck intermittently and he counted them by aim of congregating the scattered thoughts.

Which all of them concerned Fernando anyway.

...21...22...23..., he was counting Fernando's breaths while seconds ticked by, ...35...36...

"Okay." Fernando broke off, releasing his hands from the Dane’s waist. Holding his breath, Daniel slowly spun around and looked the Spaniard in the eyes.

"What's that for?" He whispered then pursed his lips. Did he really have to ask? He scolded his faster-than-brain mouth again. But Fernando answered,

"I dunno," he shrugged, averting his eyes from Daniel's, "for until we meet again, I guess."

***

That night Daniel went to Fernando's room but not for sex, somehow he just didn't feel like it. His brain nudged him that it's his last chance until only God knew when they would ever meet again, but his mind just kept ignoring it. Fernando was surprised, too, so Daniel proffered him a blow job.

It was a sweaty, gooey and the most suffocating oral sex Daniel had ever done. Everything was so simple yet so stifling. Fernando lay there on the bed, naked, with Daniel hovering between his thighs over his crotch. The Dane’s mouth swallowed him whole to the hilt, stroked the flesh with burning tongue. Sometimes the Spaniard arched and sometimes bent, his hands almost coerced Daniel’s head down to eat him up more and more. “Dan…,” Fernando whimpered, squeezed his lids shut, sweats sprouted on his forehead. Daniel sped up the rhythm, then slackened up; he boosted up the paces, and then eased it down again. He licked pre-cum off the boy’s tip, glazed it all over his cock then slid his tongue down to the pucker of Fernando’s ass, just like he'd done on the yacht in Ibiza.

He wondered how many other places they would be for him to fuck Fernando like this. Spain, France, what will be their next destination?

Fernando shrieked, just like he did last time. He writhed on the sheets and screamed Daniel’s name. Paris moonlight broke through the chasm of dim curtains glossing over the blonde's lithe body on the bed. He entreated Daniel to get into him, but what Daniel could bestow was only his three fingers. He slid them all in and fucked him hard. His mouth resumed duty on the Spaniard’s cock. He licked, sucked, and savored. And when Fernando finally came fervidly in the cave of his mouth, Daniel gobbled down it all.

When the blonde had already got exhausted from orgasm and their long day, he didn't feel like doing anything rather than sleeping it off. He nestled up against Daniel, their bodies entwined under the duvet, one of the Dane's arms under Fernando's head as a makeshift pillow. When the Spaniard found a comfy position, he pecked the Dane on the cheek and mumbled, "Good night, honey."

And then he slept.

"Good night...," Daniel tenderly kissed Fernando's sweaty forehead, breathing in all odors of the boy, "...my angel."

And he hardly slept all night long.

***

"Flight AF1680 to London Heathrow is now boarding, passengers please make their way to gate 15…"

Fernando didn't move or even flinch when that announcement ended. That was definitely his flight, the proof was typed in an Air France boarding pass laid carelessly on the table. He continued nibbling at the ham and egg sandwich in hand which took too long to finish.

Daniel didn't say anything either. He finished his croissant long ago and now was sipping black coffee absent-mindedly. So when Fernando finally stood up, Daniel's a bit surprised because he’d already thought the Spaniard was going to sit there forever.

"I’ve gotta go," Fernando murmured and grabbed his carry-on luggage. Daniel got up, too.

"I'll walk you to the gate."

So they walked along silently. Daniel's flight was not boarding until the next two hours. The closer the gate number ran near 15, the more severe Daniel felt his gut twist. And when they inevitably reached it, he felt like his world was tumbling down.

Fernando turned around. "I’ve gotta go," he repeated, bit down his lower lip. "I'll call you later, yeah?"

Daniel didn't answer but pulled the boy in for a deep passionate French kiss.

He knew it's a long kiss goodbye, though.


	17. Act 3: Prague (Chapter 1/8)

Daniel was jogging at Ørstedsparken in downtown Copenhagen, white iPod earphones in his ears when his BlackBerry mobile rang.

He fished for it, the flashing screen showed the name 'Nicklas'.

"’Zup?" He spoke into the receiver.

"Dude," Nicklas' voice was conveyed through the microwave signal, "There's a pot party in Amsterdam next Saturday. Maarten, Klass and Robin will be there. If you-"

"Dude," Daniel cut off, "I'm sorry but...I already have plan next week."

"What?" Nicklas was a bit exasperated. "What would be more important than pot party in Amsterdam? Come on, dude!"

"I know. I would like to go, too, but..., sorry, mate."

"What's your plan?" Nicklas asked. "Where’re you gonna go?"

"Prague," Daniel replied.

***

It's snowing in Prague, the first snow of this winter.

Fernando stepped out of the airport. His breaths were condensed the second they hit the barely-over zero degree Celsius of the weather in Prague: the city of a hundred spires. He shivered despite a grey wool coat, white fluffy scarf, winter hat and other garments. With one hand pulling the luggage, the other hailed a cab. He fumbled for a piece of paper with the hotel address in his pocket and gave it to the driver.

Czech music was playing on the radio but Fernando's mind had already drifted towards the oncoming adventure. This was his first time in Prague and visions along the route were already stunning with white falling flakes topping leafless trees, vintage footpath, and dark roof of Gothic Praga edifices.

But the best part of all was that Daniel Agger was here.

After three months, Fernando didn't think he could wait even a minute more.

Arriving at President Hotel safe and sound, he notified the reception and waited.

"You reserved a double room for seven nights, Mr. Agger had already arrived," a receptionist informed him. That information was not new, Daniel had already told him he would arrive before. "Mr. Agger also left you a message." The attendant looked for something behind the counter then came up with a big bouquet of bright crimson roses.

Fernando glared at the roses with bewildered eyes. He still didn't take them when the receptionist informed him further, "Our attendant will take care of your luggage. This is your room key: no.59 on the 5th floor. Breakfast started from six to nine o'clock at the restaurant on the 1st floor. Welcome to Prague and enjoy your stay."

  
Fernando was walking along the corridor absent-mindedly, a bouquet of roses in hand. Looking at it in perplexity, he gingerly buried his nose in the cluster drawing in the sweet fragrance and found his stomach twisting peculiarly, congruent with his heart which was beating in an uneven rhythm.

A note attached to it which was simply scribbled in disorderly handwriting read:

_‘Hello, snowflake._

_Just wanna let you know I'm out for some errands, brb._

_Miss you like crazy,_

_Dan’_

***

The digital door-lock beeped while Fernando was unpacking, and when a familiar face appeared in their room with a wide smile, Fernando just couldn't help his feet from darting to the Dane, jumping into his wide-opened arms with legs around Daniel’s torso and arms around his neck. Daniel wrapped his arms around Fernando, carrying the blonde who's smiling so sweetly at him and the Spaniard definitely got a reciprocal smile in return.

Without proper words of greeting, they welcomed each other sweetly with a deep passionate kiss for all it's worth their three-month deprivation of one another.

  
"What was your errand, anyway?"

Fernando asked. They're lying in their double bed, the Spaniard was on his back, his fingers brushing against the back of Daniel's hand. The Dane lay by his side, propping up on an elbow.

"I sold some of my photographs to a local magazine," Daniel replied. "They love my shootings so practically buying all of my creative images."

"Really?" Fernando's voice was cheerful. "Congrats!"

"Thanks." Daniel smiled smugly. "So...do you have any work need getting done today?"

Fernando rolled onto his side so he could meet Daniel in the face. "No," he said, "I'm all for you today."

Daniel laughed, lifting his hand to rub the blonde’s hip amorously. "What do you wanna do?" He asked. Fernando grinned.

"What do you think?" He giggled and leaned closer to kiss Daniel on the lips.

Daniel snickered at the familiar taste of the blonde’s lips. Grabbing Fernando with both hands by the hips, he rolled him over so the Spaniard was lying flat on top of him. They caressed each other’s body which they knew so well, fumbled for one another's clothes and stripped them off unhurriedly since they had all day anyway. Nevertheless, they're both naked in no time and Daniel rolled them over again.

Fernando was now lying on his back, panting from the interminable kiss. One of Daniel's hand stroked the blonde's acquainted erection with the rhythm he knew could arouse Fernando the best while the other hand fished for lube in a drawer. After a moment, he came back with lube-coated fingers which were gingerly prodded at Fernando's entrance, sending the Spaniard jerk and gasp like he's sparked.

Daniel smiled fondly at that reaction before slipping his fingers in.

Fernando groaned and his wall clenched the fingers. Daniel slid them in and out, nudged the Spaniard’s prostate which he remembered so well where it was, and successfully drew impassioned groans from Fernando. Then Daniel withdrew his fingers and bent down instantaneously, kissed the blonde on the lips to forestall any protesting grunt, breathed in all the Dunhill-tainted sweet fragrance while aligning his cock with Fernando’s pucker.

It slid in in a familiar manner and he recognized every bit of the Spaniard’s interior. Fernando's path wrapped him tight around every surface, throbbed against him like greeting its long-parted significant member, fit him perfectly like it's crafted for him and him only.

He had never met anyone who clicked with him this impeccable, like they were pieces of jigsaw who belonged to each other like this from the start.

“Oh, God, I miss you,"

Daniel murmured, closed his eyes and moved. Fernando moaned erotically and moved his hips in line with the Dane's rhythm, his wall intensely enclosed and grated Daniel’s cock creating endless arousing frictions. The Spaniard's tortuous face was so beauteous that Daniel couldn't help giving him comforting kisses on his eyelids, temples, cheeks and lips over and over again.

When they climaxed together, Daniel was so stunned by himself. He didn't think he'd ever had sex with anyone this sensational before. He should be so horny after those three months, though of course he had girls and boys passing by at times, Fernando's the best fuck so Daniel had been badly waiting for this day. But when it actually arrived, he just fucked Fernando with every drive which wasn't libido, and that might not be a good sign.

Definitely not a good sign.

It made chills run down his spine, from head to toes.

So Daniel pursed his lips, parted Fernando's legs wider. Despite a glint of panic in the blonde's brown eyes, Daniel fucked him all over again.

Fiercely this time.


	18. Act 3: Prague (Chapter 2/8)

It had already stopped snowing outside.

Fernando was sleeping, his breaths were steady yet exhausted from two rounds of sex. Daniel sat on the edge of their double bed, smoking a roll of Dunhill. His eyes gazed at the slumbering Spaniard with an unreadable expression.

He couldn't help his thought, yet it kept freaking him out more and more.

He had thought about this sometimes but always dismissed it like it's a pestering bug. Once when they were in Paris, he even woolgathered Fernando living with him in a house in Copenhagen, but that's just the spur of the moment. He imagined it because Fernando teased about knotting necktie for him for the rest of his life.

Yet there's another time on their last night in Paris, he didn't feel like fucking Fernando and didn't really know why. Was that when things got this sensational instead of them being just a cool around-the-world shag partners as they should be?

And that's how it should go on, he needed to stop these sentimental absurd feelings. Long-distant relationship has never worked, isn't working, and would never be, he knew best enough.

Yet when Fernando slowly opened his lids and looked at him drowsily, adorably, before curling his lips up into a very sweet smile and asking, "Why are you looking at me like that, honey?"

It thrashed his intention to the most fundamental part.

***

Fernando scooped a handful of snow up from the bank of Vltava River where they're strolling and threw them at Daniel with a gleeful laughter. Daniel tried to dodge but couldn’t elude its trajectory, it hit him on his arm and Fernando laughed harder. Daniel grinned.

"Want a fight?" Then he swooped, scooped and flung white flakes in Fernando's direction. The snowball hit him square on his back since Fernando had spun around in time to cover his front from it.

"I'm quite good at this, you know?" The Spaniard smirked then threw another snowball, this time it precisely hit Daniel in the face. "Oops!" Fernando made a noise but didn't seem a bit regretful. He snickered good-humoredly and was taken by surprise when Daniel lunged at him with all his might sending the Spaniard tumble to the snow.

"What’s this?!" Fernando laughed animatedly, coldness stung his back while his front, on the contrary, absorbed with warmth from the Dane's body on him. Daniel grinned wily.

"How about this?" And he crushed a fistful of snow against the Spaniard's neck.

"Don't! Dan! It's cold!" Fernando screamed and wriggled, cringed from the iciness and laughed from the tingling sensation, and that just urged Daniel to banter more.

He put the snow into Fernando's wool sweater.

"Daniel!" The blonde almost shrieked when the frostiness touched his chest directly, it almost numbed that part of his body and he's now having goosebumps from head to toes. And from the way Fernando's face distorted with suffering yet at the same time rapture, Daniel just couldn't help thinking how his gorgeous face’s gonna be like if he put those frosts on the more sensitive part like the pucker of- "Daniel! Take it out!" Fernando screamed. Daniel laughed.

"Sorry, babe," he said and removed the ice off Fernando though some had already dispersed on the inside of his sweater and would inevitably melt and damp the blonde’s shirt.

They sat up and Daniel helped Fernando brush snow off his blond hair. Yet when the Dane was sweeping himself off, a tiny snowball hitting him in the face, again, made him still for a moment trying to compose.

And Fernando's chortle was like a sugar-coated bewitching spell tricking anyone to fall for his poisonous sweetest smile.

***

"How can I adjust focus?"

Fernando was holding Daniel's Nikon-D3X, looking curiously at all the buttons and other weird dials.

"You rotate the ring over here." Holding Fernando's hand, Daniel placed those lean fingers on a ring of lens from the underside. "You hold it like this."

Looking through the viewfinder, Fernando adjusted zoom and focus then tentatively pressed the button. The sound of the snapping shutter captured the dazzlingly white scene of snow painted with leafless bushes and trees.

Daniel was looking at the display screen when the Spaniard suddenly turned the camera and took a picture of the Dane. "Hmm?" Daniel smiled when Fernando stepped backward on the snow, finger kept pressing the button.

"Don't look at the camera," the blonde commanded, "Just, stray your eyes to somewhere else."

Daniel averted his eyes to nothingness and heard shutters continuously snap shots of him from different angles. Then Fernando giggled, Daniel instantly turned around. "What is it?" He asked. The Spaniard was browsing through the display gallery when the Dane caught him by his side.

"I'm quite good at this, look at this one." He showed Daniel a picture. The Dane's close-up profile occupied the left half of the image while the whiteness of snow preempted the other half of which was daubed with the contrasting blackness of a lank tree, Vltava River, and the Gothic skyline of Praga beyond. The glint of tenderness in Daniel's eyes completed the quixotic sight just so perfectly.

"I like it," Daniel blurted out, couldn't tear his eyes off it.

"Right?" Fernando was so proud of himself. "My reward?"

Daniel was befuddled for a moment. When Fernando pouted, puffed and offered his freckly cheek to the Dane, the light hit him. He leaned in and kissed the Spaniard fondly on the cheek before gliding his mouth across to the blonde’s lips and kissing him affectionately.

When he withdrew, mischief was glistening in Fernando's eyes. "Daniel."

"Hmm?"

"Can we take a selfie?"

Daniel raised his brow. "Sure if you want."

"You do it." Fernando handed back his Nikon and Daniel took it. He turned the camera around until the lens were staring at them. "Say cheese, honey," Fernando whispered against his cheek and Daniel smiled, he knew what the Spaniard had in mind. So he pressed the shutter button rapidly for the multi-snapshots, felt the blond boy’s wet lips on his cheek all the time.

Then the Dane turned around. Fernando was a bit taken aback by the sudden movement and their proximity, but Daniel's other hand held him still. His eyes locked with the Spaniard's, the corner of his lips curled up. And with the warmth in Daniel’s eyes, the tip of their noses grazing each other and hot breaths against the freezing-numb sensation on their cheeks, Fernando was simply paralyzed. He stared back at the Dane, beautiful brown eyes so hypnotizing that Daniel was entranced even more.

And Daniel would trade all he’s worth to capture that fascinating scene of Fernando and him in the fairytale-like snowy wintry Prague, like real lovers, for a thousand times over.


	19. Act 3: Prague (Chapter 3/8)

_**M.Škrtel:** DANIEL AGGER_

_**Daniel:** What?_

_**M.Škrtel:** Why don't u tell me u r in Prague?!_

_**Daniel:** What? Why? U r in Bratislava, not here!_

_**M.Škrtel:** Didn't ur geography teacher teach u that they were near and Czech and Slovakia once were the same country?!_

_**Daniel:** ...Berlin is even closer to Prague than ur capital city..._

_**M.Škrtel:** ..._

_**Daniel:** K, sorry mate. What do u want from me?_

_**M.Škrtel:** Don't u think we should catch up after hvn't met like 4 yrs?!_

_**Daniel:** U come here, I'm not going._

_**M.Škrtel:** Like I couldn't guess._  
_**M.Škrtel:** I'm free tomorrow._

_**Daniel:** The whole day?_

_**M.Škrtel:** I'll meet u around 3pm, I hv some biz 2 do in Prague, too._  
_**M.Škrtel:** It won't take long. I know u r on honeymoon so won’t irk u much._

_**Daniel:** It is NOT a honeymoon, fuckass! Who told you this?_

_**M.Škrtel:** Who else? Nicklas Bendtner of course._

***

It had already been their third day in Prague and Fernando said he'd be busy all day. So Daniel ambled across the city the whole morning, taking pictures. He grabbed traditional cuisine for lunch. The sun was shining on this early afternoon glazing a hundred spires of towers in Prague, illuminating the whiteness of snow which was so in contrast with the dimness of pristine Gothic architectures. Daniel would like to enjoy it as much as he could, both the sun and the scene.

He’s around Prague Castle when his mobile rang.

Martin arrived at Prague Ruzyně Airport safe and sound. They would meet at Lesser Town Square which wasn’t far from here. It had already been four years since the last time he saw Martin. They were roommates at The University of Liverpool and after having graduated, everyone scattered back to their home countries.

To be honest, he really missed Martin, too.

"Daniel, you motherfucker!"

A voice came from his left before the owner appeared into view when the Dane spun around. Daniel couldn't help a wide smile when Martin in a black winter coat approached him in a gleeful manner, he didn't seem to change much from four years ago.

"Hey there, you sonofabitch," was what Daniel greeted back.

"How are you? What the fuck are you doing here?" Martin seemed so animated. Daniel shrugged.

"Honeymoon?"

"Rite." The Slovak laughed. "Where is your partner, anyway?"

"Busying with his work." Martin quirked his brow up.

"'His'? So it's a guy this time."

"You don't seem so surprised."

Martin grinned. "Nope."

They chose a café in town square and chatted for all they're worth, asking about each other's lives, loves, jobs, families, et cetera. It's getting dusk quite fast and they're about to change location when Fernando called.

"Where are you?"

"Lesser Town Square. Where are you, babe?"

"At the hotel, would put away my stuff here and take a nap, still not that hungry. Will you come back?"

"I'm with a friend."

Daniel could even hear Fernando's eyebrow shoot up through the line. "Who?" His voice rigid.

"An old friend from the uni. He lives in Bratislava."

"Hmm...," Fernando mulled, "but this is Prague."

Daniel almost guffawed. That's the same line he said to Martin. "It’s near." He chuckled.

"’Kay," Fernando relented. "What time will you have dinner?"

"Around seven, will that be okay for you? And would it be okay if my friend joins dinner, too?"

"Sure, sure." He heard the blond boy yawn. "Can you call me when you need me there? I’ll take a couple of hours nap.... Actually, call me at six-thirty."

"Sure, sweetheart."

"What's his name?" Martin asked when Daniel hung up.

"Fernando."

"Spanish?"

"Yes."

***

When Fernando arrived at the restaurant at Republic Square, it was almost 7.30. Martin stood up as the Spaniard walked over.

"Martin." His hand was proffered to the gorgeous blonde. Taking it for a shake, Fernando smiled sincerely.

"Fernando."

The Spaniard ordered some dishes then chatted, "So, you’re Daniel's friend from the uni?"

"Yes." Martin smiled softly.

"So you know each other for..., how long?"

"Seven years," Martin shrugged, "Around that."

“Wow, that’s long.” Fernando smiled. "How's Daniel at the time?" He asked and Daniel stared at the Spaniard but the blonde was heedless of him. He solely looked at Martin so the Dane turned to glare at his friend instead, narrowing his eyes as a caveat and he knew Martin took note of it despite not even glancing in his direction.

"A popular football player in the uni team," the Slovak replied. "We played center-back together.”

"Really?! I didn't know that." Fernando looked excited with this new piece of information. "Was he good?"

"Superb." Martin winked at the blonde and Daniel didn't like it despite knowing that his friend was only trying to rescue him, in case the topic strayed to a sensitive vicinity.

But Fernando didn't seem to be particularly interested in his university love lives, he just pelted random questions at Martin and the other cheerfully answered with enjoyment. When they finished the long-haul dinner at almost ten o'clock, Martin announced,

"There's a party at my friend's local club not far from here."

Fernando raised his brow but a grin had already occupied his lips, his eyes sparkled in enthusiasm and Daniel knew immediately where they were going to be tonight: definitely not the hotel room. Fernando and party were like long-parted twins, they couldn't live without one another and the Spaniard was abso-fucking-lutely not gonna miss this.

"Can I join?" He didn't even wait for Martin to invite them first.

***

"Is this what your 'biz' in Prague is?" Daniel asked and the Slovak guffawed.

"Kinda," he replied. "It’s their re-opening party after the club renovation, and he’s my friend so it's a must."

They arrived at Old Town Square by foot. Music blasted out of an ominous old building contrastingly decorated with flashy neon lights in red, green, blue, yellow and other gaudy colors. People were already packed inside and when they made their way in further, Daniel saw that it wasn’t only fluorescent lights that were iridescent all around,

But also a hundred bottles of Absinthe with the same shades of neon tubes.

Daniel felt a tug at his arm, an extremely exciting tug. "I love absinthe!" Fernando hissed in his ear, Daniel snarled.

"Who doesn't?"

They followed Martin to the VIP zone, his friends were there sitting in a dim broad booth. Martin introduced both parties but the music was too loud that they couldn't catch the names properly. But nobody cared. They handed them a bottle of blue absinthe which Fernando's brown eyes sparkled at its devilish temptation, and that's all everyone was actually interested in tonight. They said something to them in heavy-accented English but all Daniel could comprehend was 'enjoy'.

The VIP zone was also packed and Daniel felt it jammed harder when the night ticked by. Fernando was tipsy and Martin was already drunk.

"Fernando," Martin called from the other side of the table and Daniel's alarm went off, "Daniel was a heartthrob in the uni, you know?" The Slovak ranted. "He's a real player, beware!"

Oh, thanks! Daniel pursed his lips. He glanced at Fernando unsurely yet finding the blonde still smiling.

"Was he really good at it?"

"He's a pro." And Martin laughed before bottoming-up his shot of absinthe.

Fernando didn't seem to mind about that piece of information, he kept on drinking and being wasted next to Daniel on the couch. Daniel laid a hand on top of the Spaniard's. Fernando didn't flinch, he held Daniel's hand back reassuringly without glancing at him. They had been sitting still like that until Fernando bottomed-up his glass and stood up. "I’ll go to toilet," he announced.

"Want me to go with you?" Daniel’s about to get up but the blonde forestalled him.

"It's okay."

So Daniel sipped his beer quietly, Martin was messing about with a very beautiful blond girl on the other side of the table. The Dane had just finished his umpteenth bottle of Pilsner Urquell when the seat next to him - Fernando's former seat - was slightly slumped and a feminine voice spoke up in English.

"Came here alone?"

Daniel turned around and smiled politely at a gorgeous Eastern European girl. "Actually, no."

"Hmm?" The girl appraised him and teased. "Where's your friend then?"

"Toilet."

"Ah, I see." The girl was heedless, she fetched two empty shots and instantly poured green absinthe up to their rims. Daniel had been watching her in silence until she took something out of her handbag. "Want some of these?"

It's dark and Daniel couldn't see clearly. But from their round tiny shapes, it wasn’t that difficult to distinguish that they’re pills.

A drug with absinthe? No way, bitch! Someone would definitely die after drinking that shot and he had a hunch that it might be him. But before waiting for an answer, the girl dropped a pill each into glasses of liquor.

"I'm not gonna drink that," Daniel exclaimed, looked at the shots in horror when the girl handed one to him.

"Why?" She giggled hilariously. "Don't be a chicken."

"Daniel."

A familiar voice called from the other side of the couch. There's no vacant space left around here since the Spaniard's seat had already been taken by this uninvited chick. Daniel closed his eyes, come on God, why does it have to be now?

Daniel felt the weight overlay in his lap and opened his lids. Fernando's there, sitting with an arm slinging around Daniel's neck possessively. He smirked at the girl who's now taken aback, his free hand snatched that shot of absinthe from the bint's and Daniel heard, "Thanks, bitch," slip snippily out of the Spaniard's tongue.

The girl narrowed her eyes, retorted, "That’s for him, not you.”

Fernando didn't wince, he smirked back, "Don’t worry, I'll take care of that."

Then he emptied the shot in one gulp. Daniel's jaw dropped with shock, seeing that it's too late to hinder all the impending events which would inevitably happen anyway.

But the panic actually hit him when Fernando turned to him, mischief glistened in his brown eyes. And when he leaned in to crush their lips together sending the burning liquid into the cave of his mouth, Daniel knew that tonight he got a long way to go, if he would be able to remember it when waking up tomorrow, though.


	20. Act 3: Prague (Chapter 4/8)

The club was spinning and oscillating and turning upside down.

Flashy neon lights and flamboyant absinthe were blending and weaving and made Daniel's perception trancedly distort. Tumultuous noises were melted into a coalesced chunk of decibel which Daniel’s brain had already lost the competence to distinguish yet had already taken it as a collective euphoric laughter of hootched-up partygoers.

Maybe that's the only actual sound blaring in this club since everybody had already been drugged and was now laughing in ecstasy, but Daniel would’ve never known.

Fernando was lolling in the sofa beside him, giggling all the time, a shot containing half of dark liquid in a hand while the other kept fiddling absentmindedly with Daniel's hand. His inebriated eyes strayed to somewhere forward which seemed to be nothingness.

Daniel wasn’t in condition as well. After having been languidly slouching there for like eternity according to his apprehension, the Dane tried to straighten up and reach for an absinthe bottle but failed feebly. It entailed by him collapsing back into the sofa, sinking even deeper.

That sent Fernando snicker harder.

"What's so funny?" Daniel heard his own voice utter good-humoredly.

"You're so six sheets to the wind." Fernando turned around, leaned in and snuggled up to Daniel's neck teasingly. He found it ticklish.

"You aren't any better this minute," Daniel retaliated and couldn't bite back a smile when Fernando slithered a hand across his flat stomach, held him tight by waist and nuzzled up against him even deeper.

"You wanna bet?" He murmured against Daniel's skin, his hot breaths triggered arousing sensation in him. Daniel goosebumped.

"How?" He asked hoarsely.

Fernando giggled merrily. "I bet you can't unbutton my shirt."

Daniel laughed. "And if I can?"

"With one hand," Fernando conditioned.

Daniel raised his brow before gliding his hand up the row of buttons of Fernando's shirt. The Spaniard’s eyes sparkled under the flashiness of disco lights, looking at him challengingly and Daniel simply stared back.

"I'll give you handicap by not even looking at it," he bragged and fumbled for the first button in the row, his hand was so limp and it's somewhat difficult but finally he got it done. The first button unhitched and for him it’s like ‘first stage cleared!’.

Fernando shifted restlessly in his seat and whispered to Daniel's cheek enticingly, "Don't be like a dog with two dicks yet." He grabbed Daniel's hand and glided it down to the second button in the row invitingly. "You've got many mores to go."

Daniel swallowed hard then kissed Fernando on the lips desirously.

His hand continued unfastening the Spaniard's shirt, unhurriedly, though. A part of his brain warned him that they're in public with many people around, yet the other part told him that they're in the corner of a booth in the VIP zone where everyone was drunk and drugged, which was somewhat private enough and nobody's going to look at them, twice.

Finally he finished with Fernando's top, his chest was partially exposed and it's so white Daniel thought it even glowed under the dim light. The blonde’s eyes sparkled naughtily and he grabbed Daniel's hand once again, placing it on his belt alluringly. "Unbuckle my belt," he hissed.

And Daniel didn't see why he shouldn't do that. He fumbled with it with one hand while leaning in and nibbling Fernando's neck with hot lips. The Spaniard tilted his head up and groaned in his throat. All the normal senses and sensibilities were now multiplied by ten and Daniel's so certain his molestation was urging Fernando close to the edge of his control.

"Danny...," the blonde panted when Daniel's hot tongue dragged down his neck to his chest. Daniel's brain was so incapable of functioning that he couldn't unbuckle the Spaniard's belt properly, so he sent the other hand in for help, didn’t care anymore that it broke Fernando's rule. When he finally finished with the belt, Daniel continued down to the button and zipper of Fernando's jeans. His lips now grazed down the Spaniard's flat stomach and he couldn't help biting that taut muscle teasingly. Gently might it be, Fernando jerked spontaneously and even parted his legs wider instinctively giving Daniel more space to manage his jeans.

When he's done with them this time, Daniel had no idea what to do. They're in the middle of the club, seriously. He wished he could shove the Spaniard down onto the couch and fuck him senselessly because he's so horny now. Sadly, the seat next to Fernando was occupied by the girl who seemed to be obsessed with her new guy. He didn't think he could tell her to fuck off. It's kinda rude, right?

Then the blonde gripped Daniel’s hand again and yanked it to his crotch, forcing it to clasp his erection over the thin cotton of boxers. Fernando's hand squeezed Daniel's which made it clench his swollen cock hard and sent him moan fervidly. Daniel gritted his teeth, stroking hard flesh under the fabric and Fernando suddenly held out both hands fumbling with Daniel's jeans. When he couldn't seem to unfasten them conveniently from that position, the Spaniard grunted, then, in the blink of an eye, straddled Daniel.

Daniel hissed when Fernando succeeded with unzipping his jeans and his hand had already disappeared under the Dane's boxers, firmly gripping his cock. Daniel's hand was still holding the Spaniard's cock and he's a bit surprised - only a bit - when Fernando yanked his own jeans and boxers down with one free hand, exposing the white freckly skin just enough to give Daniel access to his inside.

Daniel felt dizzier, his cock was throbbing in Fernando's hand and his entire body was screaming with the fiery temptation to get into the boy. But with the remnants of consciousness and social norm, he was told that he couldn't do it right here.

But seemed like Fernando had already decided for him, he lifted his body up, a hand steadying himself on the Dane's shoulder while the other holding Daniel's cock. He adjusted the positions until they aligned with each other and Daniel babbled out, despite already panting and shivering with excitement and concupiscence.

"Are you crazy?" His voice was almost instantly diffused into the suffocating air and boisterous cacophony.

Fernando answered that question with his eyes locking nonchalantly with the Dane's and a hard slump which sent Daniel's cock bury up to the hilt.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Daniel gasped for breaths. Fernando's suddenly limp, collapsing down on the Dane's chest with his face resting on Daniel's shoulder, heaving hard. After a moment of accommodation, the Spaniard moved.

"Oh, fuck, Daniel," Fernando grumbled. Nails dug into the Dane's shoulder with too much lust which was the effect of both drugs and spirits, and that urged Daniel to fuck him harder. "Daniel," Fernando hissed, voice shaking, he grazed his teeth up to the Dane's ear and whispered intoxicatingly, "Daniel, I love you."

Daniel closed his eyes, his brain was white blank and he didn't really think of anything when he replied,

"I love you, too, Fernando."


	21. Act 3: Prague (Chapter 5/8)

There were only shreds of recollection in his brain when Daniel woke up the next morning.

Fernando was nestling up next to him, sleeping soundly with steady breaths. Daniel smiled at that endearing sight of the freckly blonde. He gently placed his lips on the Spaniard's eyelid. When he withdrew, Fernando still didn't seem to be conscious.

Daniel got up from bed, dizzy and so fucking thirsty. Walking to the mini-bar, he fetched a bottle of cool water and gulped half of it down. Feeling better, he looked around the room to find that outside the window, snow was falling yet again.

The Dane stalked back to their bed, didn't feel like needing more sleep. It's almost noon yet he didn't feel hungry either. He ogled the slumbering Spaniard while raking his brain for what happened last night, he remembered they had crazy sex in the club but couldn't recall any other details.

Fernando shifted in bed onto his side.

Daniel smiled. Snatching the camera from the bedside table, he squatted down and adjusted the lens to focus on the Spaniard. The light was so perfect as well as the unconscious model. Locks of blond hair covering Fernando's closed eyelids, tad-parted juicy lips, light-brown freckles on his a-bit-flushed cheeks and the delectable tip of that fine nose, his angelic features were like crafted by the hands of God and Daniel just loved every bit of it.

He loved everything about Fernando Torres.

"Umm...," Fernando shifted in his sleep but Daniel kept on snapping priceless shots of that scene, yet he instantly stopped short when the drowsy voice murmured, "Daniel..."

The Dane lowered his camera and quirked up his eyebrow. From what he saw through the viewfinder, the Spaniard was still closing his eyes; from the direct cast, Fernando was doing just the same.

The blonde was still and silent now and Daniel couldn't help but smile so wide as realizing he must be talking in his sleep.

At that moment, Fernando mumbled again, "Daniel..."

Daniel put the camera down this time and climbed back in bed with a suppressed smile. He reclined on his side, slung an arm tightly around Fernando's waist and kissed the Spaniard amorously on the forehead. "I'm here, sweetheart," he murmured against Fernando's redolent skin.

***

They're walking along Charles Bridge, the picturesque historical landmark of Prague, aligned on both sides of the avenue were Baroque statues and statuaries. Despite the freezing temperature, stalls were set up at Old Town Square not far from the bridge selling traditional Czech products from handiworks, Christmas tree ornaments to warm food and hot wine all over the place for Christmas Market: a winter enchanting bazaar of Eastern Europe. Live Christmas carols resounded in the air as well as the sounds of joy and merriment as holidays were coming. Though Christmas was in fact two weeks away, festive magic had already permeated in full effects in the atmosphere.

Fernando had a small cup of hot wine in one hand, crepe filled with jam and whipped cream in the other and they're browsing through hundreds of stalls blissfully. They would halt at handcrafted gadget booths, being ridiculous with weird local stuff or at Christmas ornament stalls because Daniel loved to take pictures of those colorful decorations.

"You want some?" Fernando held his crepe out to the Dane after a big morsel. Leaning over and taking a bite of it, Daniel chewed on it before looking around.

"Go over there?" He pointed to the other side of the square where a tall Christmas tree was located. Fernando nodded and they sauntered across the bazaar, passing by an ice-skate ring and a choir jovially singing 'All I Want for Christmas is You'. The blonde dropped by another food stall to buy pretzel. Daniel quirked up his brow. "Why do you eat so much today?" Before that crepe, he remembered Fernando already had Kolache, plum dumplings and sausages. The Spaniard almost choked on his first bite after the blunt question, he rolled his eyes.

"I need energy, burnt it all already last night."

This time Daniel almost choked on his saliva. "Do you remember what happened last night?" He asked uncertainly.

"I remember you fucked me," Fernando answered nonchalantly.

"Don't say like it's my fault." Daniel held a finger out in front of the Spaniard. "You're the one who started it."

"Really?" Fernando batted eyelashes, feigning innocence. "I don't remember anything about it."

Daniel sighed but a smile had already appeared on his lips in amusement. "What do you remember then?"

A smile flickered at the corner of Fernando’s lips. "That you fucked me on the couch," he stepped closer, "in front of everybody in the VIP zone." The Spaniard's right in front of Daniel now. Their eyes locked, staring into each other's like ransacking for an unspoken sooth hidden there. "It's sweaty and sexy and marvelous." He leaned in until his lips hovered over Daniel's. "The way you slid in and out of me, the way your face distorted torturously, the way you panted my name..." Oh, my, this sounded much like hot-line sex. Daniel held his breath and swallowed a lump down his throat. Why does he feel blazing when the weather is this cold? "I also remember that you tugged my cock fiercely so we could come together, that you slowed your paces down when I screamed too loud as afraid that you're hurting me, that you kissed me passionately, grazed your teeth across my jaw line to my ear and whispered innumerable senseless words." Fernando giggled then bit down his lower lip in a seductive manner. "But there's one sentence though, that wasn’t that absurd, I also remember...," he paused, staring directly into Daniel's eyes. They were only a few centimeters apart and Daniel was frozen, nailed to the cobbles he's standing on and couldn't move, "...that you said you loved me."

There's silence and Daniel forgot to breathe.

Fernando's still locking gaze with the Dane's, his brown eyes glittered with something Daniel couldn't read. It wasn’t that Daniel didn't know what to reply, it's just that he didn't expect Fernando to remember any bit of it.

But when Daniel's about to respond, Fernando withdrew, a mischievous grin on his face. He said nonchalantly, "I'm kidding," lifting his hand up and nibbling at the getting-cold pretzel. "I remember only the couch, the VIP zone and my orgasm and couldn't remember anything else." He bit a mouthful of pretzel then held it out in Daniel's direction. "Want some?"


	22. Act 3: Prague (Chapter 6/8)

Fernando went out the whole day today.

Daniel had lunch with Martin before accompanying him to the airport. He had an appointment with another local publication who had requested his portfolio. After that he's free.

Daniel's in their hotel room when Fernando stormed in. He'd never seen the Spaniard this furious before. The blonde threw himself onto the bed, face hidden in a pillow and the scream Daniel heard was muffled.

The Dane was completely stunned, he didn't know what to do.

"What's wrong?" Daniel carefully climbed onto the bed, his voice's uncertain and he felt something twist in his stomach. He touched the blonde’s head gingerly with his fingers.

"My customer! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!" Fernando screamed, Daniel's face was pallid.

"What did he do?" Daniel’s collected now, he stroked the Spaniard's blond hair comfortingly. Fernando was silent for a minute.

"I don't wanna talk about it," he grunted, paused, "leave me alone."

Daniel was taken aback but remained consoling the boy with gentle touches. "Everything will be okay."

"I said 'leave me alone’!'" Fernando shouted this time, still didn't lift his face from the pillow. Startled, Daniel withdrew his hand half-heartedly and heard Fernando sigh. "Danny, I'm sorry, but could you please leave me alone here for a couple of hours? I think I really need privacy right now."

The Dane was so dumbstruck. He opened his mouth and closed it again with nothing coming out, just like a goldfish. "But, why? Are you sure?"

"Please." Fernando still hid his face in the pillow and Daniel doubted he's crying.

"Okay," the Dane relented, getting up from bed. "Talk to me when you’re calmer then." He's about to make way to the bathroom when Fernando said in a rigid voice,

"I mean I want you out of this room."

This time it hit Daniel in the face, he's so shocked by the words. Then Fernando’s voice softened, "Daniel, I'm sorry. I know you have nothing to do with this but..., please?"

Daniel sighed. Walking back to bed, he fetched the camera and other belongings from the bedside table. "Call me when you feel better," he mumbled, about to walk away but changed his mind. Spinning around, he bent down to kiss Fernando on his head encouragingly and whispered, "You know I'll always be here for you."

Then he got out of the room.

***

It's late when Fernando called, almost two hours after Daniel had left the room. His voice through the line was more cheerful now and Daniel felt so relieved like the blonde had been really mad at him and now he's forgiven for all the guilt he'd done.

Daniel went back to the hotel in record time. He rang the doorbell of room 59. No one answered. The Dane quirked up his eyebrow. "Fernando?" He called through the thickness of the door, still got silence as an absolute answer.

He smelled something fishy, and this was no good. As he rummaged for keycard in his pocket, his heart beat dangerously from thinking about what he'd do if something he saw behind the door was unexpected and horrified.

The thought scared him to death.

The beep sound of keycard unlocking the door with a green flash light sent Daniel swing it open. The room was dark, filled with blackness in every square meter and the Dane held his breath in fear. But before he could awkwardly insert the keycard in the power docking station on the wall to light the room up, a hand - two hands - had come out of nowhere and covered up his eyes.

"Daniel," a familiar voice which was unmistakably Fernando's said. Daniel still apprehended.

"What happen?" He asked, voice rigid. Yet he heard the Spaniard snicker.

"Nothing." Daniel felt a soft fabric fold his eyes instead of Fernando's hands before that piece of cloth was bound tightly at the back of his head.

"Fernando," Daniel was panicked, "What's wrong?"

"Shh," was the Spaniard's reply. Daniel’s camera had been removed from his shoulder as well as his winter coat before Fernando held his hand and led him somewhere.

Oh my, this is... Daniel's heart pounded faster, not because of fear this time, when he realized what this was all about. Fernando pushed him down onto the edge of their bed. With eyes blindfolded, Daniel heard the Spaniard moving around him, doing something he couldn't figure out. "What are you doing?" The Dane asked, curiously and anticipatingly this time.

"Don't snoop," Fernando answered and Daniel heard lighter being lit and smelled fire, a smile flickered on his lips.

He didn't ask more questions though, had been busily relishing the atmosphere through every sense except the sight. So when something suddenly fell in his lap, Daniel almost jumped out of surprise.

"Daniel...," tempting voice whispered his name and Daniel held his breath out of anticipation. He blindly placed his hands on the Spaniard's hips. And when the tip of Fernando's tongue with creamy chocolate substance caressed his lips, Daniel's so certain what he had suspected was true.

"How do you know?" He asked, couldn't hold back a smile now. Fernando giggled.

"I saw your passport." He nibbled at the cream on Daniel's lips. "And Martin also reminded me, but actually...," he glided hot lips across the Dane's cheek to his earlobe. And with utter blindness, Fernando's every motion was more erotic than ever. The Spaniard whispered in Daniel's ear, "...I've already planned it from the start. I chose this period for my biz in Prague because of this, so I can be with you."

Daniel was stunned. He didn't know Fernando was this much into details about their personal information. What he had thought all along was that the Spaniard saw him as a nice shag partner who would be in any place around the globe that he would call upon when travelling alone.

And now they're here in Prague on December the 12th, Fernando straddling his lap, his lips glossed by chocolate cake, his eyes were blindfolded by a dull piece of cloth and Fernando said he had plotted all of these all along.

Daniel just didn't know how to respond.

"So the thing about your customer being a prick this evening was all fake?" He asked, amused, and Fernando snickered,

"Yep." The Spaniard's hand started unfastening the blindfold. "Are you ready?" He whispered.

Daniel laughed. "You haven't told me that line yet."

"Okay." Fernando chortled good-humoredly, he finished unhitching that piece of cloth. "Daniel...,"

Then the Spaniard unveiled his eyes and what Daniel saw just made him forget to breathe.

The room was lit by candle lights on a big chunk of chocolate cake on the table behind Fernando which also had candlesticks of lit candles on both sides. He also saw a bottle of pricey champagne in an ice bucket and a bottle of red wine next to it on a small table. But the most breathtaking thing of all was Fernando who's straddling him with only a white long sleeve shirt - Daniel's Armani’s shirt, actually - on his body and Daniel doubted he wore anything more on his bottom.

Seems not.

Fernando leaned closer, amusement flickered on his lips and in his brown eyes. Then he whispered so seductively that instantaneously turned the Dane on, "Happy birthday," he panted in Daniel's ear, "My sexy boy."

 


	23. Act 3: Prague (Chapter 7/8)

"Should I blow the candles first?" Daniel teased, from what he saw, all the candles were almost burnt down to their bases. Fernando smirked.

"Up to you."

Daniel smiled, pecked on the boy's alluring lips and slowly stood up. The table with the birthday cake on wasn’t that far from bed. He placed both hands on the edge and was about to blow the candles.

"Wait," Fernando forestalled and fetched Daniel's camera from where he had put it before. "How can I use this when it's dark?"

Daniel snatched it and hurriedly changed modes before the fire on the cake would burn the hotel down. He handed it back to Fernando and the blond boy stepped back, counted, "One, two, three!"

And the high-speed shutters with blazing flashes captured every memorable motion of Daniel blowing all candles on his chocolate birthday cake.

"Happy birthday!" Fernando lowered the camera when all that was left was mere faint smoke. He darted to the Dane and kissed the other boy on the cheek. The room was still lit by candles on the table and Daniel could clearly see happiness glittering in those brown eyes.

And he knew that from this point onward, everything would never be the same.

At least, he wouldn't ignore those prickly feelings in his heart anymore.

Daniel turned around and kissed Fernando full on the lips, the Spaniard giggled against the Dane's mouth. "Should we eat the cake first?" He teased back. Daniel grinned.

"We can eat while we have sex." And with that, Fernando's eyes widened.

"What?!"

Daniel didn't waste time explaining, he shoved Fernando down onto the bed and straddled him instantly. "Like this." The Dane's finger scraped chocolate cream off the cake surface and – with a mischievous grin - smeared it on the Spaniard's neck. Fernando’s breath hitched when Daniel's hot tongue licked off the chocolate smudge up along his soft skin before ending the trail on the blond boy's lips.

And Daniel's smirk was so teasingly defying that made Fernando swear to himself he's not gonna lose this game.

The blonde held out his hand without averting the gaze from Daniel's eyes, it came back with chocolate cream full on his fingers. His other free hand expertly stripped off Daniel's sweatshirt and tees, unhurriedly with the Dane’s assistance. Daniel grinned smugly. When his upper-torso was totally naked, Fernando gently smeared those chocolates on the Dane's nipple while still locking eyes with him defiantly. Daniel bit down his lip but Fernando didn't do anything further except looking at him challengingly. He shifted restlessly. "What are you waiting for?" He grunted.

Fernando quirked up his brow. "Want me to lick it off?"

Daniel growled, "Please!"

Fernando feigned naiveté yet shifting down to lick - suck, actually - Daniel's nipple. Daniel groaned gutturally when the Spaniard's hands also fumbled with his belt and jeans, yet the blonde absolutely wouldn’t stop at just that.

He got some more chocolate and smeared it all on the Dane's cock.

It felt so weird: creamy substance on his hardening flesh. It didn't feel like lube, especially when Fernando attentively licked it off like it's so delectable and he wanted every bit of it. And when Daniel thought the Spaniard would finally stop since he'd already cleansed it thoroughly, Fernando applied more chocolate on his swollen cock and sucked it, fiercely this time.

Daniel gasped. "Fernando," he panted, resisted from rocking into the boy’s mouth. "It's my birthday today. Don't you think-oh, God!-that I should be the one who eat that-ah!-fucking cake?"

Fernando snickered against his cock. "But I love chocolate." And he bit the tip of Daniel's flesh. Daniel jerked, bit down his lip to muffle the scream in time. He'd definitely not let Fernando have fun alone so suddenly he shifted downward until their bodies were in line again. The blonde was giggling so hard now and Daniel had an urge to nibble every surface of the freckly skin all over his gorgeous face. He grabbed a handful chunk of chocolate cake - heedless of how messy their bed would be afterwards - and smeared it all over the Spaniard's neck down to his white chest which was visible from the three topmost unhitched-buttons in the row.

"Daniel!" Fernando yelped good-humoredly. He still fully clad in Daniel's white shirt. And when Daniel nibbled at the smudged chocolate cake down his neck, which tasted really good on Fernando’s skin, his hand unbuttoned the Armani’s cloth.

"Dan...," the blonde panted. He closed his eyes, let his mind float in lecherous sensations. Daniel had already grazed his teeth down to Fernando's stomach and parted the blonde’s legs wider. Without pausing the devouring business, he scooped more cake and painted them on the Spaniard's crotch: his cock, bollocks, down to the pucker of his ass.

Daniel could feel Fernando trembling when his lips glided across flat stomach to his cock. His shirt was still on with only a button fastened in the middle of his abdomen. Daniel nibbled the Spaniard's erection patiently, bit the tip of it teasingly, sending the boy’s breath hitch, before grazing his teeth down to the bollocks which jolted Fernando right away.

Then he glided his lips lower to teasingly lick the blonde’s gooey entrance.

"Dan-ah!" Fernando writhed when Daniel's hot lips sucked his pucker, savoring all the chocolate smudge on it. Daniel held out his hand thinking about grabbing some more cake when his eyes stopped short at the wine.

That sounds interesting, too.

Daniel smirked and shifted until he could reach the wine bottle on the small table. Fernando lay panting but kept his eyes on him every move. The Dane opened the wine bottle with a corkscrew. Oh, my, this is going to be disastrous.

Daniel was on his knees between Fernando’s parted legs. The wine was Cabernet Moravia 2001, and yes it's going to taste so heavenly delicious on Fernando's body.

And fuck his Armani’s shirt, he could buy a new one.

Fernando gasped instantly when the garnet-red liquid was poured onto his chest and stomach. It soaked his shirt and dyed it immediately. The blonde arched, closed his eyes and panted when Daniel's tongue resumed the duty of cleansing up his body. Daniel licked the wine off the Spaniard's stomach, dipped the tip of his tongue in the boy's belly bottom tantalizingly, before gliding his lips up along the smudge, sucked Fernando's wine-flavored nipple hungrily sending the Spaniard writhe and huff like he'd been tortured. Daniel snatched the bottle again, gulped it this time before bending down and crushing the Spaniard’s lips, sending the burning liquid into Fernando's mouth, some spilled off his full cave and dripped down the corner of the boy’s lips to his jaw line in a maroon streak.

Daniel grinned, glided his lips to playfully nibble at the trickle while Fernando almost choked as swallowing the liquid down. The Dane's hand fished for something more in the direction of the table, and when he held back, it went straight to Fernando's crotch.

"Daniel!" Fernando jolted and gasped for air, eyes widened with panic. Daniel smirked against the blond boy's cheek and pressed the Spaniard's pucker with an ice cube. Fernando shrieked instantly from the frostiness. "Daniel...," he panted and writhed torturously on the sheets. Daniel gritted his teeth and pushed the cube into the boy.

Fernando arched and screamed as the iciness slid into him deeper and deeper with Daniel's index finger. Its rugged edge scraped his wall and the piercing sensation sent his gut extremely lighted and his brain numbed. He shuddered all over. Daniel eased his finger out but left the ice in there, and from its size Fernando speculated it would remain until the next five minutes, unless his body was way too hot for it to handle - both literally and figuratively.

Daniel was grabbing more ice from the bucket, Fernando could tell from the telltale crackling noise. Before opening his eyes, he jerked again, this time from the coldness on the crevice of his neck. "Feeling good?" Daniel whispered in his ears while his hand busily slid a cube down Fernando's collarbone, stopped to circle teasingly around his nipple drawing a lascivious moan from the Spaniard. Then he slid it down to the boy’s belly bottom sending the blonde instantaneously recoil and a spasm run up his spine, before playfully dragging it down, gliding the ice up the length of Fernando’s cock and ending on the tip of it.

"Dan, please...," Fernando whimpered in a shaking voice. Daniel grinned his mischievous grin.

"I just want you to have fun," his voice's hoarse with desire, too.

"I need you..." Fernando writhed when Daniel's hand slid down the other side of his shaft with the same cube. "Oh, fuck, Daniel! I need you inside me now!"

Daniel smirked, slid his hand down further to the Spaniard’s pucker. The flesh there sucked his finger instantly when Daniel thrust in one more frosty piece of ice. "Daniel!" Fernando shrieked and Daniel stopped teasing this time. He fetched lube from the drawer, applied it on his cock in record time then, without more dawdling and warning, slid into the Spaniard unceremoniously as he was ordered.

Fernando gasped for breath when Daniel thrust himself whole into him. The heat of the Dane's cock was so in contrast with the coldness of ice which was so freezing inside him now. The sensation it gave was bizarre, like someone was trying to blend ice and fire together in his stomach and it sent even more thrill up his gut, nape and brain. Fernando was so lightheaded. He gritted his teeth and moved in line with Daniel's rhythm along with moans and screams which he wasn’t sure anymore whether they’re his or the Dane’s. Daniel's arm slid underneath the Spaniard, scooped him up so Fernando could straddle him.

The Dane snatched that bottle of wine and poured more mouth-watering liquid onto Fernando's neck and shoulder. The blonde jerked and shuddered as maroon streak glistened under candle lights on its way down his bright skin: chest, flat stomach and their attached groins. "Fernando...," Daniel whispered, licked red wine off Fernando's neck with blazing tongue. The Spaniard tilted his head up giving Daniel more space. His arms slung tightly around Daniel's tattooed shoulders while rocking himself on top of him. Their groans were mingled while their hot and cold bodies entwined, and Fernando was melting inside, in both senses. The sounds of skin against skin resounded lasciviously in Daniel’s head and room. "Fernando," Daniel panted when the blonde sped up the rhythm, the Spaniard was the one who controlled the game now, "thank you for my birthday surprise," he whispered in the blonde’s ear.

"No prob." The Spaniard snickered hoarsely and shakily. "I have no idea what to buy you as real presents,” he paused, gasped, then rocked even harder on the Dane. His inside was like it’s about to implode from frost and flame. “I-ah!-if you want anything…specifically, you can tell me tomorrow." He almost collapsed down on Daniel’s shoulder as they’re closer to orgasm, panting and trembling so hard yet still accelerating the rhapsody.

"Oh, God!" Daniel gritted his teeth, tried his best to keep himself in control. "No, I…don't need anything better than this," he whispered huffily and snuggled up to the crevice of the blond boy's sweaty neck. "Fernando…,” then he glided his lips up, claimed the Spaniard’s lips with a passionate kiss and whispered from the bottom of his heart, “You are the best thing that's ever been mine."


	24. Act 3: Prague (Chapter 8/8)

Karlovy Vary was two hours and fifteen minutes away by train from Czech Republic’s capital city. Fernando and Daniel sat together in two adjacent seats and chatted lively. It was Fernando's first time in this country and he would like to explore everything as much as possible when he had time, like today.

"Say cheese." Fernando got Daniel's camera in hand and was enjoying it so much. He captured shots of the scenery outside, of Daniel and of other people on the coach. He even changed Color Accent mode commanding the camera to accentuate only red color, other colors surrounding it were muted to monochrome giving images the look of nostalgia.

He's like a naughty boy who’d just got a new toy. "What does this one do?" He pointed at the flower symbol on the dial.

"That's macro, for close-up shot."

"Hmm?" Fernando quirked up his brow, turned on that function and averted lens to Daniel.

"You wanna take a close-up shot of me?" Daniel laughed.

"I wanna take a close-up shot of your eyes," Fernando murmured and busied with the camera.

They arrived at Karlovy Vary at eleven o'clock. Fernando handed the Nikon back to the Dane and resumed enjoying being a model. They strolled about the city, colorful Art Nouveau buildings lining up the streets were covered in dazzling white snow. They reached Tepla River and stopped there for the picturesque scenery and cool fresh air. People passed them by: some were locals, some were tourists, and Fernando's just so gleeful that he paused every ten step, turned around and asked Daniel to take his pictures.

They bought hot wine from a stall and leisurely sipped it while unhurriedly ambling along the river. Daniel was leading the way when he heard Fernando yelp. The Dane turned around and realized that the Spaniard was being a clumsy little angel by tripping over his own feet. "Fuck." He didn't fall, but hot wine in the little paper cup had spilled out soaking and dripping all over his left hand. Daniel smiled, stalked back and grabbed Fernando's soppy wrist. The blonde explained, "I was looking at the river then I tripped over something."

Daniel snatched the half-empty cup off Fernando's hand and put it on the railing, the other hand still held the blond boy's wrist. He pulled the Spaniard’s sleeve up and bent down to lick the dripping hot wine off the tattoo on Fernando's forearm - his name in Tengwar alphabet as the blonde had told him before - with hot tongue.

When he withdrew, Fernando's eyes which were gazing at him glittered mischievously. "Fancy taste of wine on my skin?" He teased. Daniel smirked.

"Kind of." And he teasingly bit the blonde’s forearm amorously.

***

The street was empty with gorgeous tiny beige buildings decorated with leafless bushes and trees along both sides. It was like walking in a fairytale that Fernando couldn't help dashing in the middle of the street and yelling, "Take my pic!"

Daniel smiled and did as he was ordered. Shots of energetic Fernando were so captivating he couldn't help hammering finger on the shutter button incessantly. He shifted closer step by step until he’s directly in front of the Spaniard. The blonde smiled sweetly at him when Daniel lowered his camera.

The snow was falling.

Daniel was mesmerized when striding forward. His mind was completely enchanted by those hypnotizing brown eyes which were looking at him affectionately. Daniel brushed snowflakes off the Spaniard's blond hair before catching Fernando's cheek tenderly with his right hand, brushed his thumb against the boy's freckly skin then leaned in to kiss him fully on the lips.

They parted and huffed, fog of condensed breaths pervaded all around. Daniel's lips still lingered on the Spaniard's when he confided a decisive line whisperingly in the fallen angel of winter wonderland.

"Fernando…,” his lips grazed the blonde’s juicy pair, he held his breath when confessing out loud,

“…I think I love you."

***

The bell at the entrance of a local restaurant in suburb Copenhagen told everyone that there's a newcomer. Nicklas didn't have to look around twice to find a tall guy with dark-brown hair sitting in a far corner with his back to the door. He stalked there and greeted Daniel with a friendly punch on his shoulder,

"Dude!"

Daniel turned around and smiled. Nicklas slid into the seat across from the other. "’Zup? How's Prague?"

"Good," Daniel replied. "Order something first."

"Did you meet Martin?" Nicklas questioned after having ordered steak and beer.

"Yes, he flew from Bratislava."

"Was it fun?" Nicklas grinned wily. "You and your partner."

"Yes." Daniel sipped his beer but didn’t look at the other Dane. "Nick, I have a question."

"Spit it out." Nicklas got his pint of beer and sipped its head.

"Would it sound crazy if I say I would move to London to live with someone?"

Nicklas almost choked on his booze. "What?!" He cleared his throat and tried to compose. "Sorry, mate, I mean, indeed," he paused, "I dunno you already have that 'someone' you’d like to spend your life with."

Daniel still didn't look him in the eyes. "I think I have now."

Nicklas’ eyes widened. "Are you serious?” He's shocked. “That’s really great, congratulations!" He paused, then, "May I ask who she is?"

"He," Daniel corrected.

Nicklas was a bit taken aback. "Okay, sorry. Who is he that makes you decide to move to London and settle down? He’s the one you went to Prague with, right?"

"Remember that time we went to Ibiza?" Daniel answered with a question.

"Hmm," Nicklas quirked up his eyebrow, raking his brain hard.

"My uncle Stevie's private party on the yacht," Daniel hinted.

"Oh, I remember. In summer, right?" Nicklas snapped fingers as bingo.

"Yes."

"And?"

"Remember Fernando Torres?"

"Oh, that freckly hot stuff. How could one not remember? Yes." And he suddenly straightened up in his seat. "Don't tell me..."

"Yes." Stopped fiddling with his glass, Daniel stared back at Nicklas nonchalantly. "Yes, it's him."

Nicklas gaped. “What?” His voice's dry with shock. “You and him keep in touch? I don’t know about that!”

“And why do you need to know everything?” Daniel shot back.

“Does he know that we’re having this conversation?” Nicklas asked, still nonplussed.

Daniel pursed his lips. “Actually, no.”

Nicklas stared at him. “Okay. Does he know that you’re planning all this?”

“No,” Daniel answered resolutely again.

“Whoa, whoa. You mean you guys haven’t discussed this thing about moving in together?” When Daniel didn’t answer him, Nicklas continued, “Don’t you try to surprise him by barging into his world without giving him proper notice. It might not be a good idea, Danny,” Nicklas warned, “Really not a good idea.”

“I know,” Daniel murmured.

Nicklas held his breath. “Does he know that you love him then?” He asked uncertainly in a low voice.

“He knows,” Daniel mumbled, “I’ve told him, two days before we parted.”

“Whoa.” Nicklas’ in awe. “And what did he say?”

Daniel pursed his lips again. “Nothing.”

Nicklas took in a deep breath. “Okay," he paused, “Does he love you then? I mean, really, really love you that he would like to live with you?”

That question hit the nail on Daniel’s head. Biting down his lip, he lifted up his pint of beer and swigged the golden liquid before banging it down on the table indignantly, maybe toward the other Dane’s question, or himself, or someone who's so frivolous that he wasn't certain anymore what’s actually on his mind. “For Christ’s sake, Nick! I don’t know!”


	25. Act 4: London (Chapter 1/7)

He hadn't visited London in almost two years, the last time he's here was with his parents on a family reunion. London hadn’t changed much in two years' time, he could tell from the first step on Paddington Station out of the Heathrow Express. First of all, it's always raining, and it's doing the same here in the mid of March.

Daniel took a cab to Lancaster Gate, he'd booked a room there. He didn't want to bother his relatives, he didn't need anyone knowing he's here.

He told Fernando he would come and the Spaniard seemed a bit shocked. He's amazed by himself as well since the day he’d discussed this with Nicklas. He'd been considering this all day and night for fucking three months and couldn't come up with any answer except that...

  
_"Are you sure he loves you, too? He doesn't look like the type...," Nicklas commented suspiciously._

_"Do I look like the type?" Daniel shot back and Nicklas grinned._

_"No," he conceded and sighed. "To be honest, I’ve never imagined this kind of idea coming across your mind. But, seriously, are you sure about this?” He hesitated. “Has he ever told you he loves you?"_

_Daniel pursed his lips. “…Once when he's piss drunk.”_

_“That doesn’t count, you jerk! People say everything when they're drunk!”_

_“I know.”_

_“So?”_

_“So what?!”_

_“You don’t know whether he loves you, right?”_

_"No," Daniel snapped furiously, "I don't know so I’d better find out!"_

 

Maybe he’s trying to prove something by coming here, that things could work out between them; that they didn’t have to meet up only when they’re out of their residential countries; that he's willing to give up everything and start it all over here with Fernando.

Okay, he didn't mean to come here to actually go straight to Fernando's place and scatter his stuff all over to claim territory (that’s so petty, by the way). It's just that he wanted to know would things be different if they meet up like normal couples: living in the same country, same town.

But then his return flight was opened. He planned to stay here indefinitely, or until things don't go according to plan.

Despite the blonde’s silence, Daniel knew that to Fernando he’s more than a fuck partner. He’s certain he didn't misread it: it reflected in the blonde’s actions, touches, and brown eyes. And the Spaniard even said it first that night in the club when they’re so drugged. Though Nicklas argued that people said everything when they’re drunk, it must mean something. Isn’t drunken state when people say things they have in subconscious which would never be said when they’re sober?

And though when he confessed his love to the Spaniard in Karlovy Vary three months ago, Fernando just smiled wryly and shied away, didn’t say anything back and they had never talked about it afterwards, it tore his heart a bit. When he looked back, it might be that Fernando just needed time to think about this. Whatever it might be, Daniel's positive that the blonde thought of him more than just a shag partner.

But how far?

Does he actually love him like he said when he's high? Why didn’t he say anything back after he had told him he loved him?

Maybe London had all the answers.

With all those reasoning, now he's here: alone in London with only Nicklas and Fernando knew where he was. He told the Spaniard that he had some business to do in this world’s financial capital. It's an alibi, no business needed getting done here, only that he missed Fernando so bad he didn't want to live a minute more without him.

The cab took him to Landmark Hotel. After getting a room and unpacking, he sent a message to Fernando via BlackBerry Messenger.

_**Daniel:** R u free tonight?_

It took almost ten minutes before the blonde answered.

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Sure._

_**Daniel:** Dinner?_

_**~«F. Torres»~:** I'll finish quite late._  
_**~«F. Torres»~:** I'll meet u at ur hotel. Is that ok?_

_**Daniel:** Sure._

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Where is it again?_

_**Daniel:** Landmark, Marylebone Street_

***

So Daniel had dinner alone and when the hour hand of his watch hit ten, the doorbell rang. Fernando was standing on the other side of it.

"Miss me, baby?" was his first greeting.

Daniel answered by lifting him up off the floor, put him on his shoulder and carried him into the room. "Daniel!" Fernando shrieked good-humoredly, hammered Daniel's back with his fists before he was thrown onto the bed. The Spaniard snickered as the Dane climbed on top of him and his voice was suddenly muted when Daniel shut him up completely with his lips.

"Dan...," Fernando whimpered when Daniel slid his lips down the Spaniard's neck, nibbled the soft flesh above his collarbone while unclothing the blonde at the same time. The Spaniard writhed when Daniel claimed his pink nipple with his lips and sucked hard, his hot tongue that playfully yet tantalizingly licked it was so easy to make Fernando go wild. "Dan...," Fernando panted, gripped the Dane's brown hair and wrenched hard when Daniel's lips glided down to his stomach. "Don't you..., don't you think we should-oh, damn!-greet each other properly-ah!-first?" He huffed.

"This is the proper way we greet each other," Daniel murmured against Fernando's sweet skin and bit his tense stomach teasingly. "And I miss you too much to describe into words anyway. Action speaks louder, yeah?" He slid Fernando's pants down then bit the Spaniard's cock through his boxers before the boy could reply.

"God!" Fernando jolted when the Dane's teeth scraped his erection through the light fabric. Daniel slowly stripped Fernando's trousers off his feet but remained the boxers. Then he stripped himself off, too. When he was totally naked, Daniel resumed his place on top of the blonde. His hand caressed up the Spaniard’s inner-thigh, stopped at his ass to mischievously prod at the pucker through the boxers, and that instantaneously jerked the Spaniard once more.

"Miss me?" Daniel nibbled Fernando's ear, prod his finger in deeper while the other hand gripped the Spaniard's cock through the fabric tightly and stroked it.

"Yes," Fernando writhed and panted. Daniel pursed his lips, caught the Spaniard by his hips and flipped him over instantly. Fernando groaned when the Dane clenched the soft flesh of his peach ass hard. He nuzzled up against a pillow to muffle the scream when Daniel held his legs apart and pressed fingers along the crevice of his ass stimulatingly. "Dan, stop it," Fernando whimpered, hands clenched the squishy pillow as too much lust was burning inside him. Daniel chuckled softly then poked at the Spaniard's entrance with his index and middle fingers one more time, they slid in one-digit length and that had made Fernando arch and moan hysterically already.

Daniel bent down and bit Fernando's shoulder playfully. "You look so horny, honey," he teased. The blonde grunted,

"I am!"

Daniel laughed. "Okay." And he slid the Spaniard's boxers down. His hands couldn't resist squashing Fernando's notorious ass once more before turning to fumble with lube to coat his own cock. Then he eased himself in as familiar and easy as it had always been; they’d known each other's body best enough.

Fernando gasped for air, his hips jerked up instinctively to support the intruder. Daniel buried himself up to his hilt, lay flat on the blonde then rocked. "Fernando," he nibbled the Spaniard's ear and whispered, "Move with me, okay?"

The blonde nodded and moved his hips in line with the rhythm Daniel was leading. He panted and moaned and screamed when the Dane hit his prostrate again and again and again. And when they were about to come together, Daniel fished for the Spaniard's cock, squeezed tight and tugged hard sending Fernando shriek like he’d already lost his mind. The Dane nibbled the blonde’s nape to console him then held his breath and whispered, “Oh, God, Fernando, I love you."

The Spaniard climaxed immediately in Daniel’s hand at the same time Daniel came inside him.

They lay there like that for a while, their bodies still united, listening to each other's breaths and heartbeats, then Fernando shifted restlessly. "Dan...,"

"Hmm?" Daniel nuzzled up to the Spaniard's sweaty nape affectionately.

"Dan..., we need to talk," his voice faded.

"About?" Daniel didn't feel like pulling out of the boy now so he snuggled up closer and shut his eyes stubbornly. Fernando's voice that uttered the next sentence sounded a bit shaking and dry.

"About what you’ve just said," he whispered.

Daniel felt his heart beat faster and Fernando must feel it, too, because he shifted even more anxiously. The Dane slid off and the Spaniard sat up instantly, his lips pursed tensely and Daniel knew it could not be a good sign. They now sat a metre apart, the atmosphere was suffocating. Daniel waited for some time which felt like a full minute then he couldn’t stand it anymore.

"Spit it out," he blurted out though he didn't feel like hearing what Fernando would say just a bit.

The blonde didn't look into his eyes when he spoke, "I've been thinking about this, you know? Since Prague," his voice was so faint and his next sentence was even more inaudible, "This is not going to work."

"Why not?" Daniel felt his throat dry up instantly. Fernando pursed his lips once again.

"First of all, you barely know me. We're shag partners and you can even count how many days we've actually been together," he swallowed down a lump in his throat. "Second of all, you live in Copenhagen, and I in London. Long-distant relationship isn’t going to work," his voice faded with every single word he said. "And thirdly, your uncle would definitely kill me if he knows about this," he trailed off.

But Daniel could feel there's something more, those three reasons were in no way outweighed his appalling love confession. Yet when Fernando kept being silent with uneasiness and staring at the duvet with blankness in his eyes, the Dane blurted out once again, "Spit it out," and this time he was so shocked by his own voice: finding that it’s rigid yet shivering.

Fernando threw his hands covering his face, snarled out in frustration, "Gosh! Remember when I said I wanted us to be like this forever? I really meant it! But just us exactly like THAT: meeting up in Ibiza, Paris, and Prague. Those times we spent together were like holidays: hiatus from real life. But when vacation ends, I come back here and live another life you don't know.” He took in a deep breath and Daniel’s heart had almost stopped beating already. “Daniel, I'm sorry I’ve got you into this. I didn’t mean to fool you," his voice was shaking now, too, and it’s like he's on the verge of tears. When he spat out the last sentence in a whispering voice, it's like Daniel was knocked by a baseball bat straight in the face that turned his world upside down,

"…Danny, I already have a boyfriend…"


	26. Act 4: London (Chapter 2/7)

It's not that he hadn't expected anything about it. He knew Fernando didn't have only him, but just not THIS.

He didn't dare thinking that things between them were just an affair, he didn't want to think about it. Especially when he woke up the next morning and found Fernando snuggling up against him with his same angelic face, nestling up to him with his familiar lithe body and entwining him with every surface of his redolent skin, Daniel just wanted to delude himself that all those conversations were just a nightmare.

But when Fernando woke up, his distressed beautiful brown eyes gave it away.

It's Saturday so they went out to Soho and grabbed Chinese for brunch. London was overcast and dim and that, damn, even aggravated their already-depressing atmosphere. They ordered some food and silently sat at a table.

Daniel's the one who couldn't stand the silence. "So," he started, "what do we do now?"

Fernando pursed his lips. "I've never thought you'd take it this seriously. I-I don't mean they're all lies: everything I've done or said to you, it's true," his voice shivered. "When I told you I remembered you said you loved me that night in Prague, I did have a faint recollection of you saying it so I wanted to check whether I was just imagining things. But when you acted like you couldn't remember it either, I thought it was okay; maybe you didn't say it, maybe you didn't love me, so it would still be alright to do things according to my plan: on your birthday. That surprise, I did it truly, and I didn't lie when I said I'd planned it all from the start. I knew it's a bit too much for fuck partners to do something like that but I just wanted to give it to you. When I asked whether you're free during that period so we could go to Prague together, I was so afraid you'd say no. But then you said okay and I couldn't tell how happy I were." He took in a deep breath, his eyes were tearful now. "All that I've done to you, I meant it. I just wanna give you all that I could and don't want anything back..."

Daniel bit down his lip…, you said you remembered me saying I loved you, but you didn't remember that you said it, too, right? That you told me you loved me when you're piss drunk that night?

That confession, is it true, too?...

"Think of everything between us like it’s a souvenir," the Spaniard whispered. "I'm your souvenir from Ibiza, Paris and Prague. We've never been anything more than that, Dan. We're an around-the-world shag partners, we connect and re-connect again wherever it is that isn’t the place we called home. So when you are back to Copenhagen and I back in London, we resume our normal lives and keep those sweet moments as recollection in our deepest memories," Fernando's voice faded.

But Daniel didn't give in that easy. "How about my souvenir from London then?" He asked nonchalantly. Dark eyes fixed on the Spaniard’s gorgeous face, seriousness engraved on them as well as on every word he said.

Fernando looked like he's about to cry, stammering, "Daniel, we…you shouldn't even be here, as well as I shouldn't be to Copenhagen. We belong to the whole world except these two cities. Here, we aren't meant to be,” his voice's shaking and Daniel couldn't help holding his hand out to squeeze the Spaniard's hand soothingly. “I’m sorry…,” Fernando mumbled in penitence, “I’m sorry I’ve got you into this, I’m really sorry.”

They didn't say anything after that.

***

River Thames looked as dull as ever as it flowed through City of London. Tower Bridge was suspended over the tide connecting the north and south sides of the town. Despite the off-white and blue colors of its towers, it looked so much in harmony with other somber London surroundings. It was midday yet the sun was nowhere to be seen, left floating above were mere gloomy clouds in the leaden sky.

Fernando rested his arms on the railing, dragging in a roll of Dunhill absorbedly. Daniel stopped beside him, arms on the railing, too. He didn't know what to think, let alone what to say or do. Instantly, the Spaniard handed him his cigarette. Daniel glanced at the boy but saw him keep staring at the tide, so he took the fag and puffed absentmindedly.

Fernando tilted his head to rest on Daniel's shoulder.

Daniel stiffened up but didn't budge. His heart pounded faster to the warmth of the Spaniard's cheek on him. On the spur of the moment, he would like to ask what Fernando was thinking. But instead he turned his head around and kissed the blonde on his forehead, nuzzled up to the soft freckly skin and couldn't help - really couldn’t help, for Christ's sake - saying this,

"I love you."

Fernando was still for a moment, then he murmured back in a very dry voice, "…I know."

***

London Eye was so outstanding on London skyline with its 443ft height with River Thames in the background. They sauntered there and decided to take a ride on the Ferris wheel for the bird’s-eye view of City of London.

Passenger car was slowly rotating upright. They sat silently in a capsule of which they had all to themselves. Fernando’s brown eyes gazed at a faraway spot of London metropolis below, he looked so preoccupied with his thought and Daniel couldn't avert his eyes to anywhere but the Spaniard's stern face.

London sky was still full of clouds but he could see the sunset on the orange horizon from above here. He could also spot Tower of London, House of Parliament, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. And with Fernando as an element in that tableau, remembrance of them in Ibiza, Paris or even Prague instantly flashed shot by shot into Daniel’s mind.

Daniel knew from the bottom of his heart that he couldn't take just a bit that Fernando wasn’t his and had already belonged to someone else, that they wouldn't be together forever as he'd wished, that all the plans he had before coming here were completely meaningless, that everything between them wasn't going to be the same.

And that as much as he loved Fernando, the Spaniard had never loved him back.

Had he?

He didn’t want this when he had first arrived in London and he didn’t want it now. Did Fernando really see him merely as a shag partner? He wouldn’t buy it and couldn’t stand it either. It's definitely a lie if Fernando would say he’s not into him, too.

You were happy then when we’re together, right? Because if you say no, you would be lying just again. Tell me you don’t love me, too, because if you say so, your words would be contrary to your actions and if I didn’t hear it from your lips, I wouldn’t believe it either.

Daniel scooted closer. Fernando turned around and looked at him uncertainly. Then the Dane leaned forward and kissed the Spaniard on the lips with all his heart.

Fernando didn't resist, though.

They kissed, sucked one another's lips. Daniel caught Fernando's cheeks with both hands, holding him still. They nibbled each other's soft flesh, savoring all the tastes, and when they parted, with Daniel's lips still lingering on the Spaniard's, he questioned whisperingly, desperately,

"Have you ever loved me?"

If Fernando was surprised by that question, he didn't show. He kept staring at the floor. And when their capsule hit the ground, ending another round of its perpetual rotation, Fernando looked up at Daniel, his eyes full of tears.

"I'm sorry," he whispered shakily.

Then he got up, waited for the capsule door to be opened, disembarked and walked away with his hand brushing off his own tears.


	27. Act 4: London (Chapter 3/7)

"Daniel, you bastard!"

Daniel turned around and found his long-parted friends approaching. He smiled delightfully despite his recent miserable mood in accord with London's milieu. "Dude." His bottle of beer and the others' containers of booze clanged. Joe Cole, Jordan Henderson and Glen Johnson sat around him with merriment.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming, jerk?" Jordan punched him on his shoulder playfully.

"I’ve already told." Daniel grinned so wide.

"Two hours ago!" Joe retorted. "What’re you doing here anyway? Family business as usual?"

"Not...quite." Daniel's grin faded a bit.

"It doesn't matter as long as you’re here. I miss you to death! How’ve you been, mate? How’s Nick?" Glen patted his shoulder.

So they chatted. They're friends when Daniel was at The University of Liverpool. The pub wasn't that packed and cheerful music livened up the atmosphere until Daniel had almost forgotten what had made his mood dull for these two days.

It's getting late, almost eleven o'clock. Everyone was tipsy and their noises were louder and louder every time they spoke and laughed joyfully. Jordan and Glen excused for nature’s call leaving Daniel and Joe at the bar.

"Hi."

A girl approached Daniel, a very beautiful girl with blond hair, which inevitably prickly reminded Daniel of Fernando Torres.

He's been oblivious to the boy all night, and what the fuck is this now? Damn it.

"Hey," Daniel’s reply almost sounded like a snarl.

"You're not from around here, are you?" She giggled sheepishly.

"Nope, I'm from Copenhagen."

"Ah, I see." She sipped her booze. "Travelling in London?"

"Visiting friends." He nodded at Joe who's sipping beer quietly beside him.

"I'm Keeley Hazell," she blurted out and smiled sweetly.

"Daniel," he hissed back.

***

It didn't take long for Daniel to get lost in their animated chat. Keeley's talkative and fun and Daniel couldn't help laughing sincerely with her jokes. His friends joined their talk and now chatted with her like she's their long-parted friend, too.

Daniel was laughing lively, sipping his beer and glancing around the packed pub when he caught someone standing in the other corner of the room, someone who's so unmistakable that Daniel would definitely notice him from even half a mile away.

Fernando Torres was there, staring back at him, too.

Daniel swallowed a lump down his throat. Come on, there are thousands of pubs in London, why does it have to be here that they both pick tonight? He gritted his teeth and spotted Fernando's friends gathering around him. One of them had a hand on the Spaniard's waist: a guy he'd never seen before, and the light struck him that that guy could indisputably be Fernando's boyfriend.

For Christ's sake, why?!

They gazed at each other, like appraising one another's presence. Then Fernando's the one who averted his scrutiny back to his friends first, resuming conversations animatedly like nothing had happened.

So Daniel resumed his chat, too. He tried not to look in that direction yet could still feel surreptitious glances from the Spaniard. In the eleventh hour, Daniel accidentally looked at him and what he’d seen made him regret for the rest of his life, he wanted to bite his tongue as a price of pain and sorrow.

He shouldn’t turn to look over here. He shouldn’t even be here.

Fernando's kissing the other guy. Though it's a quick peck before that guy left him in the direction of the restroom, Daniel considered it a kiss anyway. And when the blonde glanced at him uncertainly, bit down his lip and instantly averted his eyes to the floor when realizing that Daniel had just seen it, the Dane couldn't stand it anymore.

He grabbed Keeley who's giggling at something in the conversation Daniel hadn't been listening to, hauled her against him and crushed her lips with his with all the irony in his heart.

***

He was drunk. Keeley was drunk.

They stumbled back to his room at Landmark Hotel, laughing like they're demented. Daniel threw himself onto the double bed and the girl did the same. They lay there panting for a while.

"I'll take a shower first," she murmured then got up, disappeared into the bathroom.

Daniel’s BlackBerry beeped, he fished for it in his pocket.

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Where r u?_

Daniel smirked sarcastically.

_**Daniel:** My room._

_**~«F. Torres»~:** With that slut?_

_**Daniel:** Yes, and don't be a prick. You r with ur bf!_

_**~«F. Torres»~:** *Angry face*_

_**Daniel:** What?!_

Fernando didn't answer.

Keeley came out of the restroom in a bathrobe and Daniel got in instead. As he roughly took a shower, he wished he could be distracted from Fernando at least for a night by fucking this chick. When he exited in simply boxers, Keeley's sitting on the edge of his bed, toying with his camera.

"You're a photographer?" She asked.

"Yes." He snatched it from her.

"Want to take my photo?" She snickered seductively. And how could Daniel be so rude to say no to that offer?

So he took her pictures. The girl sat on the bed in white bathrobe then moved to the window, gingerly perched on the ledge. Sardonically, her every pose of every single shot Daniel took had he repetitively bethink himself of Fernando like watching a replay of his memoirs.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

The girl stood up and ambled towards him. Daniel didn't step back, he kept pressing the shutter button like having Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, repeatedly snapped shots like the action could palliate the lacerated wound though his mind had already drifted to that time in Ibiza, the picture of that boy’s sun-kissed glistening skin on that fucking yacht was still vivid in his head.

Keeley stopped in front of him, gingerly pushed the camera down and leaned in. It really felt like déjà vu to Daniel when her breaths brushed against his cheeks and they're about to kiss, except that the person before his eyes wasn't Fernando Torres-

The bell on his door rang.

Daniel quirked his brow up, Keeley shrugged out of annoyance and stepped back, gesticulated Daniel to open it. He stalked to the door, unlocked and swung it open without peeking through the peephole. When he and the person on the other side of it confronted face to face, Daniel didn't know why he wasn’t surprised at all.

Yet he pursed his lips and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Fernando jostled in without answering, Daniel grabbed him by his upper-arm. "You can't get in," he hissed threateningly. The Spaniard shrugged him off heatedly.

"Why not?!" His voice was livid and he didn't wait for any reply. The blonde stalked into the room and it's inevitable that he would face Keeley who's standing dumbstruck in the middle of it all.

The Spaniard was calm enough when he stood minatorily in front of her like he's a superior being. "Get dressed and get out," he commanded sharply. Despite the collectedness, Daniel knew he’s piss drunk from the alcohol reek in his breaths. Keeley's shocked.

"What?!" She asked and looked at Daniel nonplussedly, didn't understand any of it. Daniel bit down his lip, but before he could explain or say anything, Fernando reiterated,

"You’d heard me," he said rigidly, "Daniel's mine, so please leave now, bitch."

***

"What now?!"

Daniel almost shouted after Keeley had hurriedly left in both fury and embarrassment. They're alone together in the room. He's standing in his boxers, riled up, when Fernando, who didn’t look like he's in a good mood either, spun around, stalked towards him and, without any warning, punched him hard in his jaw.


	28. Act 4: London (Chapter 4/7)

Daniel was stunned.

He was thrown back onto the bed from Fernando’s attack: that malignant fist in his jaw. And now there's bewilderment, shock even, in his eyes.

Fernando had just punched him.

"What's that for?!" Daniel bawled, held his cheek where the blonde hit him and found that he's bleeding from the corner of his mouth.

"For messing with others in front of me!" The Spaniard shouted while stripping his winter coat off furiously.

"But you’ve done that, too!" Daniel yelled lividly. With drunkenness, his outrage was multiplied by ten.

"I can but you can't, you son of a bitch! Don't you dare flirting with anyone in front of me!" Fernando shrieked and threw his coat in the Dane's face hysterically.

With that, Daniel had had enough.

Lunging forward, he grabbed the Spaniard by his upper-arm and threw him ruthlessly onto the bed, straddling him instantaneously with an intention to deter more rebellious actions. Yet Fernando's faster, he fought and slapped the Dane on the other cheek. Gritting his teeth, Daniel gripped the Spaniard's both feral hands by the wrists and pinned them captive above the blonde’s head. "You want this, huh? You whore!" Daniel snarled and crushed their lips together fiercely.

The kiss didn’t last long since Daniel almost jumped from Fernando's sharp teeth on his lower lip. He gnarled and bit Fernando's lip in return, drawing an angry growl from the blonde. He tasted the bitterness of blood but couldn't distinguish whether it's his or the Spaniard's.

How many wounds would they get after tonight?

Fuck it. Daniel thought as ripping Fernando's clothes off harshly, didn't care about tearing buttons or seams. When Fernando's equally naked, Daniel released the Spaniard’s mouth, slid his lips down Fernando’s jaw line, neck, then stopped to unkindly bite his shoulder. The blonde screamed.

"Daniel, that's hurt, Daniel!" Fernando whined, the Dane withdrew after having left a severe purplish bruise there. He then grazed his lips across the soft flesh of the Spaniard’s neck, nibbled and sucked it until a purple contusion appeared on the sweet pallid skin.

It would last there for a couple of days and that guy, the one with long brown hair under the pub’s dim light tonight - if he recalled correctly - that Fernando called his ‘boyfriend’ - if he’s really the one - would definitely see it the same way Daniel had seen those hickeys in Paris.

How would he feel when he notices it? Does he have any idea where Fernando is after having left the pub? Does he even know that his boyfriend is a slut and after being with him just a couple of hours ago, he’s now in bed with another guy, fighting and biting and kissing, and what could happen afterwards if not extreme sex?

Daniel really would like to know.

Fernando bit Daniel's ear which hurt him severely. The Dane grunted and instantly flipped Fernando over. The Spaniard yelped but couldn't do anything when lying on his stomach. Daniel kissed Fernando's nape, bit it mischievously yet drawing a painful growl from Fernando before gliding his lips down the Spaniard's spine. His hands clenched the squishy flesh of the blonde’s ass and when his lips reached that butt, too, he bit it mouthful.

"Dan!" Fernando groaned into a pillow and clenched it with his hands. When Daniel cut off, there was absolutely a dent on Fernando's impeccable ass from his row of teeth, of course, it would turn black and blue tomorrow. Daniel grinned smugly.

Sliding up until he’s lying flat on Fernando, he snuggled up to those cluster of blond hair and nibbled the boy’s nape distractedly while aligning his cock with the Spaniard's entrance from behind. Foreplay or lubricant weren't on his mind and when Fernando screamed in pain as the Dane thrust up to his hilt in one brutal stroke, Daniel's too horny to stop and too exasperated to care.

“Does it hurt?” Daniel hissed in the Spaniard’s ear. The blond boy nodded with suffering, Daniel smirked devilishly. “Serve you right,” he hissed satisfactorily then bit Fernando's ear teasingly.

He rocked vehemently, and Fernando panted and moaned, also shrieked piteously at times when the other's motions were too fierce to tolerate. Daniel squeezed his eyes shut, let his mind lose in the frantic rhythm entirely led by the drive of sexual desires. He clinched the Spaniard, fucked him ruthlessly and when he heard Fernando screech hysterically as he hit that spot inside him, Daniel intentionally repeated it over and over. And he's certain the screaming noise that echoed along with his movement definitely wasn’t from unbearable pain.

The rhythm that was accelerating made Daniel’s mind stray away farther with every passing second. Abruptly, Fernando flipped himself over and Daniel's focus was retrieved back to the boy he was boning. Fernando threw his legs straddle the Dane adroitly without letting Daniel's cock slip out of him and now the Spaniard's lying on his back, face to face with the Dane once again. Daniel paused, took this chance to gasp for air and wait until Fernando seemed comfortable enough in that position then resumed his paces. Fernando arched and groaned, squeezed his eyes shut and dug his nails into Daniel's tattooed arms with a whim of sharing his torment. Instantly he slung his arms around the Dane's neck and yanked him down so fast until their lips smashed fiercely and Daniel could feel blood trickling from the cut on his lower lip once again.

"Remember this," Fernando hissed to Daniel's mouth when they broke apart. The Dane panted so hard, his wound's throbbing with ache. "I'm your souvenir from London, not her, or anybody else." He bit Daniel's swollen lower lip once again fervently, tasted the other boy’s blood and murmured frenziedly with insobriety, "and it will be me, only me and forever me wherever you go. Don't you dare running away from me, Daniel, I'm yours forever as well as you're mine!"


	29. Act 4: London (Chapter 5/7)

Adrenaline was still running wild in his veins when Daniel took a shower. His cheeks were swollen and bruised by Fernando's fist and palm, his lower lip was protruding because of the Spaniard's teeth and there were tiny scratches along his arms from the blonde’s nails.

What a sex it was, he didn’t think he had done anything this S&M before.

When he got out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist, Fernando's still up, sitting in his boxers - Daniel's boxers, actually - on the edge of the bed with Daniel's camera in hand. And when the Spaniard looked up, sober, Daniel could immediately tell from those infuriated brown eyes that Fernando had already seen all the photos he had taken tonight.

Yet he looked so nonchalant when saying coldly, "I’ve already deleted all of them."

Right. How could I ever think you wouldn’t? And Daniel wasn’t surprised either when Fernando handed him the camera and commanded, "Take my pictures."

Daniel snatched his Nikon, browsed swiftly through the display gallery to find that all the pictures of the chick - what’s her name anyway? - were actually gone. He didn't care about them nonetheless. So changing modes on the camera, he averted the glass lens towards Fernando.

"Take off my boxers," Daniel commanded and Fernando snickered. He stood up, dallyingly stripped the cotton briefs off, threw them away carelessly on the bed and sauntered forward while Daniel’s shutters kept snapping at him. Fernando reached Daniel, hands placed on the Dane's hips.

"Take off your towel, too," he whispered alluringly. Daniel lowered his camera a little.

"Fernando, I just took a shower."

"And?" The Spaniard grinned mischievously and slightly tugged the towel, it got loose immediately and slipped off both Daniel’s hips and Fernando’s hands.

White towel hit the carpeted floor as Fernando leaned in to kiss the Dane gently on the corner of his mouth. His fingers brushed gingerly against Daniel's swollen jaw, afraid of hurting him. The Spaniard whispered a question tenderly, caringly, with perceptible concerns in his soft voice and worried brown eyes. "Does it hurt?"

Daniel's heart instantly skipped a beat. "A bit," he answered faintly.

"Danny, I'm sorry," Fernando whispered, gently kissed the Dane's swollen cheek over and over like it could heal all the injuries and covered up all the guilt he’d done. Daniel grabbed him by his hips, gradually leaned them onto the bed with the Spaniard on top of him.

They kissed, Fernando nibbled the Dane's lower lip. It tingled, even hurt, but Daniel ignored the throbbing ache. His hands caressed the Spaniard's waist and hips down to his ass affectionately. Then they cut off to gasp for breaths, Daniel's finger brushed against Fernando's red lower lip which looked a bit swollen, too.

"I bit you," Daniel mumbled, "Is it a big wound?"

"I bit you, too." Fernando nuzzled up to the Dane's cheek. "So we are even."

Daniel laughed and kissed the Spaniard again.

They rolled over in bed until Fernando's underneath. Daniel kissed the other boy down his neck, stopped at his shoulder, there's a bite mark there. The Dane kissed it softly yet the Spaniard still jerked from the touch. Daniel pursed his lips. “I’m sorry I hurt you,” he murmured against the bruise.

“Dan, don’t. I hurt you more than this,” Fernando replied, sorrow filled his faint voice. He pushed the Dane’s head downward his chest encouraging him to forget about that shit. Daniel sighed and placed gentle kisses on the Spaniard’s bare chest down to his belly before gliding his lips down Fernando's thigh, holding his legs apart and nuzzling up to the flesh between his crotch and inner-thigh.

Fernando jerked, gasped, and almost writhed as Daniel sucked the flesh there. It would create hickey, again. Tonight he definitely got a whim to claim Fernando all over with anything that would assert that he belonged to him. Daniel nibbled the blonde’s joint, bollocks, then up to his cock. He teased its head, tickling its shaft with his tongue and Fernando huffed loudly. Daniel got lube from the drawer, coated his once-more erection, bent down to kiss the bruise on Fernando's shoulder again soothingly while slowly easing in.

They moved together, gently and sweetly this time. Daniel closed his eyes, he wished he’d never hurt Fernando. It didn’t matter how much the blonde had harmed him first, Daniel had never considered himself a hot-tempered person and he’d thought he could control himself much better than this. Whatever had just happened tonight, was so wrong. So Daniel wished this tender sex would make up for everything he’d done, would show Fernando how he really cared, which was, seriously, so fucking much. The Dane bit down his lower lip, it hurt and he felt blood trickling down the wound again but didn’t really care. He nuzzled up to the blonde’s cheek and kissed him there again and again like it'd speak as his apologies for a thousand times.

Fernando squeezed his eyes shut, his juicy lips parted a bit. He gasped for air and moaned faintly every time Daniel hit his prostrate. Sweats sprouted on his forehead and Daniel glided his lips up to kiss them off. "What's his name?" Daniel murmured against Fernando's freckly skin and could feel the Spaniard frown.

"Who?"

Inhaling deeply, Daniel whispered, “Your boyfriend."

There's silence for quite a long time but Daniel’s not gonna let Fernando out of this so he urged the other boy by constantly hitting that spot inside him. Fernando jerked and gulped, "S-Sergio." He tried desperately to muffle his scream.

"He's the one you're with at the pub tonight, yeah?" He hit the Spaniard’s prostrate again provokingly.

"Y-yes," Fernando panted, looked away and pursed his lips out of compunction, “ah, D-Dan!” He writhed torturously from the Dane’s repeated and stimulating moves. Daniel bent down, whispered to the blond boy's lips while speeding up the rhythm sending Fernando screech,

"Is he as good as me?"

"No," the Spaniard hissed, wriggling frantically, "You're my best fuck ever-ah!" He shrieked as getting close to climax.

"This is not fucking, Fernando…," Daniel whispered, thrusting in so hard with all he had left. His next sentence was so intriguing it resounded in Fernando’s head over and over again, "…it's making love."


	30. Act 4: London (Chapter 6/7)

It’s Monday morning and they had actually fallen asleep at almost five at dawn already.

So Fernando called in sick and they rolled around in bed until it's late. The blonde didn't want to get up, he nestled up under Daniel's duvet, protesting like an obstinate child. When the Dane pulled the blanket off him, he snatched it back instantaneously. "Leave me alone," he grunted, covering himself up with the duvet.

"Fernando, it's almost noon already!" Daniel argued, he’s so hungry after what had happened last night and it’s too late for hotel breakfast.

"Daniel, do you remember that you fucked me twice last night?" He grumbled, nestling up deeper to pillows and mattress. The Dane smirked and lunged forward, slumping down on top of the Spaniard sending Fernando jolt.

"Do you want more of that?" Daniel whispered mischievously in the blond boy's ear. Fernando yelled.

"Daniel!" He shoved the Dane off him from under the blanket. Daniel guffawed good-humoredly and Fernando giggled. He lifted the edge of the duvet and ordered the other, "come here."

Fernando was naked under it. Daniel eagerly slid beneath the comforter and the blonde instantly snuggled up to him, entwining his legs and arms around the Dane’s body, his face nuzzling up against the crevice of Daniel's neck. "Give me another fifteen minutes," the Spaniard murmured against Daniel's skin. "And don't you complain," he continued drowsily, "With me cuddling you like this, you know you prefer being here to anywhere else in the world."

***

London Underground was foully decorated by both humans and nature through more than a hundred years of its long-established history on dark walls and aged trains. The ambience over here, under the surface of the earth, was as bleak as the town up above. They took Central-line tube, held handles and jostled together since the coach was packed, as usual. Fernando was peering at an Underground map above the door.

"Where are we going?" Daniel nuzzled up to the Spaniard's temple lovingly.

"Covent Garden," Fernando snickered. "What do you wanna eat?"

"Fish and chips?"

"Oh, come on, Daniel, be creative!" Fernando hit him teasingly on his upper-arm.

"What?! I haven't eaten it in a long time!" Daniel retorted good-naturedly. "I'm Danish remember? I live in Copenhagen."

"Right," Fernando conceded. "English food sucks. I miss my paella."

And they ended up having sushi at a Japanese restaurant in Covent Garden according to Fernando’s argument that there were no decent Fish and Chips around here, which was pretty much a lie, but Daniel didn't mind. They finished their very-late brunch then ambled around. Fernando had cinnamon cookies in hand while the Dane preferred a cup of black coffee. It's amazing that London had absented of rain during the period of the day.

The northern area of Covent Garden was occupied by numerous types of independent shops: cafes, pubs, antiques, accessories, crafts, etc., while the south contained the central square with elegant buildings and street performers. It's fun simply strolling around watching people living colorful bustling lives in this gamesome district which was so in contrast with London’s typical milieu out there.

"Oh, you need to try scone at that tea shop, it’s superb," Fernando blurted out, the big last morsel of cinnamon cookie still glutted in his mouth. He grabbed the other's hand and dragged him to that shop.

"And you said there's no decent English food around here," Daniel snorted teasingly. Fernando rolled his eyes.

So they lazed away the most part of the afternoon by sipping decent English tea with scone. When it’s almost dark, rain fell.

Fernando got an umbrella: good habit of Londoner. Daniel forgot to bring his, so they stayed under that piece of nylon canopy and held on for dear lives. Fernando giggled when it rained harder and Daniel's shoulder got wet being out of the shade. The Spaniard clung to Daniel's arm and tugged him closer, but the umbrella was somehow too small for two grown-ups like them.

"It's okay, don't worry about me," Daniel murmured and Fernando couldn't stop snickering at the half-wet Dane.

"We have to stay this close to keep you cover," Fernando said and jostled with the Dane, their bodies pressed and almost blended into one another.

"You don't need to-"

"No!" Fernando clasped the other guy's arm and forced him to keep jostling. "Otherwise you'll catch the flu." Daniel chuckled.

"Fernando, I'm not that sickly." He turned to the Spaniard, to find their faces only inches apart, and at that moment Fernando's looking at him, too. The blond boy smiled naughtily and Daniel's about to laugh it off, but then the Spaniard leaned forward and kissed Daniel on the lips.

Though a bit surprised by that instantaneous action, Daniel shifted closer and crushed his lips back on Fernando's hungrily, passionately, and wholeheartedly.

So they kissed as London's unique cold shower encompassed them. The weather was chilly yet Daniel felt so warm under this tiny shade of umbrella. And at that precise mesmerizing moment, he almost forgot that this boy had already been taken and he didn't belong to him…

…just a bit.

***

They got back to Daniel's room, both half-wet yet still laughing good-humoredly. The Dane took off Fernando's coat lest he would catch a cold. The Spaniard snickered and stripped Daniel's coat off, too, then his sweatshirt, and his tee.

Fernando crushed their lips together vehemently.

Daniel was still laughing when they both stumbled onto the bed. Fernando’s underneath him but still fully clad except his winter coat, so Daniel hastily undressed him. They kissed fervently, and then they made love.

Fernando writhed on the bed as Daniel eased in. The Dane cuddled the Spaniard, moved slowly yet emphasizingly in and out of the boy. Fernando gasped, entangled the Dane with all his limbs clutching Daniel tighter to him. His freckly nose nuzzled up to Daniel’s neck, breathing in the odors of his sweaty skin. They were approaching climaxes with every single thrust.

Then a phone rang.

It was Fernando's and the ringtone that was muffledly reverberating through the rough fabric of his jeans on the floor was 'Love the Way You Lie’. Daniel hadn't actually paid much attention when Fernando received previous business calls on this working day which they improperly spent together but he's quite certain he hadn't heard this ringtone before. And when the Spaniard closed his eyes like praying for his mobile to hush right fucking now or even didn’t ring from the start, Daniel realized the caller could be no one but Sergio.

He’s suddenly furious.

Daniel accelerated the rhythm, thrusting in fervidly. Fernando jerked but didn’t let any noise slip out. He inhaled a deep breath and pursed his lips tight, ready for anything meant to happen by the Dane’s wrath. Daniel bent down and whispered lividly in Fernando’s ear.

"Can you choose?” His voice's huffish, his vision's hazy and he felt dizzy by the way he’s reaching orgasm. “Between me and him.”

Fernando bit his lip, squeezed his eyes shut and turned away. Even when Daniel fervently climaxed inside him with a loud scream and the Spaniard convulsively came all over his stomach, no noise slipped out of his lips and he still hadn't answered anything.


	31. Act 4: London (Chapter 7/7)

Daniel woke up because something tickled his chest. He opened his eyes, the scene was blurred by drowsiness but he could still see sunlight sneaking through the chasm of curtains. A new day had dawned.

He averted his focus back to his chest looking for the source of the ticklish sensation. He didn't have to seek long, though, Fernando's head was resting on his shoulder. From this angle, Daniel could see only the cluster of blond hair and their tips which prickled his cheek. It tickled a bit, but that wasn't the reason that awakened him. And from the Spaniard's finger tips which were gliding across his chest absentmindedly, it asserted that Fernando wasn't asleep.

Daniel didn't budge, he silently watched the Spaniard's fingers running along his tattoos: from his shoulder down upper-arm to his elbow.

"I've never asked you what all these mean," Fernando mumbled and Daniel's a bit surprised by the blonde’s knowing that he's already awake.

"That one, Memento mori, means 'Remember you will die,'" he mumbled back, clarifying a tattoo Fernando's fingers were brushing against.

"How about this one? What is it?" Fernando whispered, stopping at a bizarre pattern in red and green.

"That’s a tribal symbol," Daniel answered, closing his eyes, "Scandinavian one: Viking."

They stayed silent for a long time, then Fernando shifted. The Spaniard nuzzled up to Daniel's shoulder and he instantly felt hot wet dab on his skin.

Fernando was crying.

"Daniel...," his voice was shaking but the Dane still didn't budge, he didn't say anything either, just lying there, waiting for what Fernando had to say.

He’d known it already though from gut feeling but wanted to hear from the blonde’s lips anyway. So the truth would stab him in his heart, engrave on his flesh and he wouldn't be able to evade it anymore.

"Daniel, I'm sorry…," Fernando sobbed, stammering, "…I…I don't think we should ever meet again."

That statement jabbed Daniel; it's like his heart was pierced by thousand venomous needles at the same time. His throat dried up and his head's white blank, he didn't know what to think anymore.

He didn’t prepare for this. No. Not that ‘we shouldn’t meet again’ or something near it. Yes, he'd been prepared that Fernando might say he chooses Sergio over him, but what would happen afterwards should be his decision, not the Spaniard’s. No, Fernando couldn’t kick him out like this, he wasn’t prepared to leave yet. He felt like Fernando had already sucked his soul off him with those merciless words.

"Why?" was the only thing he could draw out of his parched throat.

"Because I'll hurt you more." The Spaniard sat up now, tears oozed up and ran down his freckly cheeks. He hugged himself like a desperate child needing someone to shelter him from harms. "You don't deserve this, Dan, you deserve someone who can love you and only you with all his heart. You deserve someone being honest with you."

On the spur of the moment, Daniel was thinking about saying that he doesn't care, whether Fernando would have another guy or two or even another ten of them. As long as he doesn't leave him like this, everything, anything would be fine.

But at that precise moment, there's something that made Daniel lose for words.

Maybe Fernando's right, they couldn't live like this. They couldn't have clandestine trysts every time Fernando goes abroad, couldn’t continue being secret lovers. Maybe it's the right thing to stop this thing, whatever it is, right here and now. He shouldn't keep it up from the start. When they're in Ibiza, he should just shag Fernando for all he’s worth then let him go and never think of him again like he always did with his other one-night-stands.

So Fernando would be merely his souvenir and mean nothing more.

That's why they shouldn't ever meet again so things would be the way they should have been from the beginning. That's the rightest thing to do, isn't it?

And if that’s what Fernando wants, then that’s what he wants.

He loves him enough to let him go.

Daniel felt a lump in his throat, he swallowed it down. Fernando's calmer now though tears kept trickling down his cheeks in tiny streaks. Daniel felt something hot oozing up on the corner of his sockets, too, but bitterly suppressed it down.

He slowly shifted closer to the Spaniard and brushed tears off that angelic face with his thumb. Fernando looked up at him uncertainly, pain and agony dimmed his usually lively sparkling eyes.

"Can I kiss you goodbye then?" Daniel whispered in a parched voice.

Fernando nodded then started crying again, even harder this time. Tears spilled off his sockets like a dam had just been burst. He wept, sniveled and convulsed. Daniel wrapped his arms around the Spaniard, hugged him tight and tried to calm him down.

"It's gonna be okay," he whispered consolation in the blonde’s ear in a shaking voice.

He knew it's not gonna be okay.

***

Daniel stowed his luggage in the trunk of a cab. He's going to Heathrow Airport, heading back to Copenhagen. He got into the backseat, shut the door then the cab set off.

His phone beeped, there's a new BlackBerry message.

_**{N. Bendtner}:** Dude, how r u?_

Daniel pursed his lips.

_**Daniel:** I'm ok._

_**{N. Bendtner}:** How is it? Everything's fine right?_

Daniel bit his lower lip.

_**Daniel:** It's over._

_**{N. Bendtner}:** ???_

_**Daniel:** I'm going back to Copenhagen today, let's talk about this later._

_**{N. Bendtner}:** U r coming back? What happen?! I thought you’d stay there until next month or something!_

_**Daniel:** Let's talk about this later ok?_

And he shut down the chat window.  
  
Yet his eyes still stared at the mobile screen; date displayed at the top of it was March the 20th.  
  
It's Fernando José Torres Sanz's birthday today.  
  
Daniel had almost forgotten it. At first, one of his intentions of coming to London during this period was to throw Fernando's birthday surprise like the Spaniard had done to him last year…, he just wanted to be with Fernando on his birthday night like he did, that’s all. But when there were unexpected incidents and more significant things to think of, the idea had slowly slipped out of his mind.  
  
Daniel pursed his lips, he opened BlackBerry Messenger. After what had happened, he didn't think calling Fernando was a proper thing to do. Besides, they hadn't talked or contacted in any way for two days up until now.  
  
This was just the beginning of their forever farewell.

Daniel selected **_~«F. Torres»~_ ** from the list and opened a new chat window. He typed.

_**Daniel:** Happy birthday, sexy boy._

Paused, contemplated, and he couldn't resist an urge to type more, at least for the last time.

He had nothing to lose anyway.

 _ **Daniel:** I love you._  
_**Daniel:** So fucking much._

Then he shut the chat window and deleted Fernando's BlackBerry pin off his phone. Fishing for iPod, Daniel plugged the white earphones in his ears and turned the volume up. The song playing was 'Just a Dream' by Nelly.

The scene of the passing London was so obscured when looking through the cab window, and it wasn’t because of fog or smoke.

It’s because of something watery in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is kind of half of the story.
> 
> I'll leave it there because I won't be able to update it until next month, so please enjoy the heartbreaking cliffhanger. :)


	32. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 1/12)

The sun was suspending blazingly in the crystal-clear blue sky.

The scene was blindingly white yet hazy around the rims, like looking at a vignette from an old recorded video. The yacht he's on was shining bright; its floor reflecting every shade of spectrum and radiating all rays of sunlight like it's actually kindling within itself. Perching on the gunnel was a boy with blond hair, his face was freckly, his skin was sun-kissed and his hair was swaying in sea breeze. The boy was naked, and he looked as sexy, gorgeous and breathtaking as ever even when Daniel was looking at him from this far.

Then the boy got up from the gunwale and ambled with bare feet across the fibreglass floor, sweet smile flickering on his lips. Stopping in front of Daniel, he grabbed the Dane gently by his wrists and leaned over. Daniel heard his own voice babble out whisperingly, entreatingly,

"Do you love me?"

The boy snickered as leaning closer and kissing Daniel tenderly on the lips: simply that could truly take Daniel's breath away.

"Yes, I love you," Fernando murmured.

  
"Daniel, wake up."

Daniel Agger reluctantly opened his eyes. It took only two hours and a half from Copenhagen to here by flight yet the Dane still slept like a log. The noises of the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 engine filled the economy-class cabin but the plane wasn’t propelling anymore, it stopped dead, finally reaching its destination with a walkway attached the craft’s hatch to the terminal building. Daniel slowly turned around, to find that the boy sitting adjacent to him didn't have blond hair and freckly face, his smile was mildly sweet and Daniel shot a soft one back in return.

"Good sleep?" Steve Finnan asked. The Dane gently lifted the corner of his lips up further.

"Yes." Daniel nodded, and good dream, too, he thought ironically.

"...Welcome to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport. Current temperature is 94 Fahrenheit, sunny and bright. Local time is 18.30...," the announcement was conveyed throughout the plane. Seat belt sign was still on above their heads. "...As the captain of this flight, on behalf of the crew and the airline, we thank you for choosing Norwegian and hope to be at your service again soon. Have a safe and wonderful holiday in French Riviera."

The sign was turned off and passengers simultaneously sprang up. Opening an overhead storage, Daniel took his and Steve's rucksacks out and waited in queue along the aisle. When finally having gotten off the aircraft, they found other friends who had flown on the same flight waiting: Nicklas Bendtner, Joe Cole, Jordan Henderson, and Robin Van Persie.

“Are you ready, dude?” Joe punched Daniel’s shoulder banteringly. They all looked energetic and good-humored, anticipating the excitement that's about to come. The Dane grinned.

“Never more ready.”

They made their ways to the luggage claim area, got their bags and went in line for a cab, headed to Port Palace hotel, Monte Carlo, Monaco.

***

It seemed like a thousand years had passed.

Girls and boys passed Daniel by and he couldn't stick around anyone long: three months at the maximum. This time he's with a boy named Steve Finnan, they’d been together for two months now and Daniel wondered how much longer this could last.

Daniel Agger had never been so crazy for anyone, fallen in love with anyone, planned to live his life with anyone.

Except, of course, with that Fernando fucking Torres.

The sight of that blond Spaniard everlastingly etched in his subconscious no matter how long time had passed and Daniel knew he'd never be able to get rid of it in this life. Glittering wet blond hair wavering in hot summer wind under Ibiza's sun was still devastatingly vivid in his head, every time he closed his eyes, no matter sleeping or wakening, that picture would repeatedly haunt him like a phantom of the past which never ceased its torture.

The van cab parked in front of a five star hotel with luxurious façade and glamorous porch after a thirty-kilometer ride. They got out. There were commotions in front of the hotel: bellboys bustling all over as well as cars, cabs and tourists flocking the stairs up to the hotel lobby, so they decided to take their luggage up the steps themselves.

Daniel, having a rucksack slinging loosely over a shoulder, got his bag out of the trunk and spun around to hold it more conveniently. He glanced up unintentionally then stopped short.

The familiar freckly face he’d just seen in his dream appeared before him out of an opening door of a cab which had parked just precisely behind his and the image of the dripping blond hair under Ibiza's sun was replaced by unkempt yet stylish shorter permed fair hair under Monte Carlo’s full moon tonight.

At first Daniel wasn’t that surprised, since he thought he's merely dreaming, just like he had always been. But then he realized it wasn't an illusion, because the blond boy before his eyes looked as shocked as much as he the instant he accidentally glanced up and their eyes met. Fernando shouldn't be surprised if they’re in his reverie, right? If he's merely a ghost which had disastrously anguished Daniel all this time, the Spaniard would just step up with a beautiful soft smile on his gorgeous freckly face, wrap the Dane in his arms and murmur love words soothingly in a sweet voice a thousand times over. And then they would strip each other's clothes off, kiss one another hungrily and make love until Daniel woke up with fright in the middle of a dark and sullen night, panting hard and was soaked all over with sweats and cum from that fucking sexy wet dream.

But Fernando at this minute hadn't moved an inch and was now gaping with wide nonplussed brown eyes.

This can't be true, as well as things happened in his dream couldn't be true. Fernando didn't love him, had left him years ago, leaving only a throbbing aching bleeding gash right in the middle of his chest, which hadn't seemed to be healed just a tad after all this time since Daniel still felt intensely hurt every time he thought about it. This can't be true, the boy before his eyes couldn't be Fernando, he had gone long ago. So who is it then that has just stepped out of a cab behind him, and once noticed the Dane, stopped short, frozen, and stared at him like he's just seen an apparition right fucking now?

Maybe he’s someone who looks like Fernando Torres A LOT, like, his identical twin, his copy, his clone.

It took like a full minute for the first word to break the silence,

“Daniel,” Fernando whispered with shock, his voice parched. Daniel turned rigid the moment he realized that the too-familiar blonde knew his name. So he could be no one but him, even though how impossible it sounds.

Is this real life? How satirical it is, though?

“Fernando.” Daniel wasn’t even aware voicing it; the name slipped out directly from his subliminal. The Dane was frozen halfway on the steps and also felt so empty inside like his entrails suddenly vanished. Fernando looked like he's paralyzed, too. They stared at each other, dumbstruck, and Daniel could also detect alarm in those familiar brown eyes.

“What’re you doing here?” Fernando hissed, looked so bewildered, then he stiffened even more as a guy stepped up beside Daniel from out of nowhere.

“What’s wrong, Dan?” Steve asked, quirking up his brow questioningly.

They were silent at once.

“Err…Steve, this is Fernando, Fernando this is Steve,” Daniel blurted out eventually though reluctantly. He’d just comprehended how much oxygen he needed, seemed like having been holding the breath for a long time unawares. Steve smiled at the newcomer and held his right hand out in a friendly manner.

“Hi,” he said when Fernando finally held out his hand for a shake. “You're Daniel’s friend?”

“Yes,” the Spaniard answered, smiling sweetly. Surprises, panic even, in his eyes had immediately vanished. He looked so casual and easy now, like he’s happy seeing an old friend once again, like nothing had gone wrong at all.

“It’s such a fate meeting your friend here,” Steve said, “even staying at the same hotel.”

That fact caught both Fernando and Daniel off guard. They're so stupefied of coming across unexpectedly in Monte Carlo until neither realized that they're encountering in front of Port Palace hotel.

“Right,” Fernando conceded, smiling back agreeably, no more stunning expression shown. “Let’s get inside, we all need to check-in, yeah?” He turned to look at Daniel again, dispassionately this time. “And Dan, your uncle's here, too, he'd be so happy to see you.”

Yes, he is. Steven Gerard was really in a chipper mood and greeted all Daniel’s friends amicably. He also introduced his team, they're here for business but also took the opportunity of the Monaco Grand Prix. His assistants included Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Dirk Kuyt.

“You guys are here for the F1, aren’t you?” Steven winked at Daniel. The Dane smiled bitterly.

“Absolutely.”

When they finally separated to their rooms, Nicklas tagged along Daniel on the corridor. He tugged the other’s arm until they're trailing behind the others, including Steve. “What was that?!” Nicklas hissed.

“What was what?” Daniel asked nonchalantly but didn’t meet his best friend’s piercing eyes. He struggled to free his arm from that forceful grip but Nicklas didn’t allow.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know this beforehand,” Nicklas threatened.

“I don’t!” Daniel growled. “I just met him in front of the hotel!”

“Oh, this is destiny then?” He let go of Daniel’s arm. “You told me you broke up with him already.”

“We did!” Daniel hissed.

“’Did’?” Nicklas laughed. “I can see that.”

“We broke up, happy?” Daniel grunted. “And I don’t know anything about this shit. Didn’t you see that my uncle’s surprised, too? And do you think I could feign my shock this good if I was acting? I was so shocked, for real, fuckass!”

“Alright, alright,” Nicklas yielded finally. “What’re you gonna do then?”

“I don’t have anything to do and I’m not gonna do anything!” Daniel hissed and sighed heavily. He really didn’t wanna talk about this because at the moment he didn’t even know what to think, let alone say or do, he didn’t know what’s gonna happen after this. They would stay here for almost a week as well as his uncle’s team. Maybe nothing was going to happen at all, but, for Christ’s sake, Daniel didn’t know why his heart's beating so fast right now.

He couldn’t deny that he's so freaking nervous meeting the blonde again. He wasn’t going to deny that simply the idea of them lodging under the same roof could really make him bouncy, like he’s resurrected from the grave he’d been since the day he came back from London and felt truly alive once more.

Maybe he’s already too insane to recover, because he thought somehow, just somehow, it could actually be destiny, like both Steve and Nicklas had just said, that had brought them together again.

“Let’s go before the others start worrying about us,” Daniel said, cutting off his crazy fantasy and other impending questions from Nicklas. He paced up the hallway, didn’t care about leaving the other Dane behind. When he arrived at the corner, turning to the route he’d chosen, Steve had already been waiting for him in front of their room.


	33. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 2/12)

Daniel was standing on Port Palace hotel's balcony, arms on the railing. The scene in front of him was Port Hercule with scintillating white and gold dots on the blackish rippled surface; the sea was dark, it's in the night. Besides the little drifting spots of lights of yachts and buoys, the glassy sea mirrored Monte Carlo's gold full moon making it look fascinatingly distorted on the tiny waves of the Mediterranean Sea.

Someone gently put an arm around his waist from behind. Daniel turned around, to find that same freckly blond boy smiling sweetly at him, his blond hair shimmered under Monte Carlo’s moonlight.

Smiling softly back, the Dane embraced the Spaniard with his cozy yet uncertain arms and leaned in to kiss him affectionately.

After a long deep sentimental kiss, they broke apart, gasped for air. Daniel snuggled up to the boy's cheek, murmuring with bitter delirium,

"Fernando, I love you."

The boy giggled, nuzzled back against the corner of Daniel's mouth with his freckly nose, whispering alluringly,

"You know I love you, too, baby."

  
Daniel startled out of sleep.

He found himself sweating, his chest heaving hard. It was dark all around, no doubt in the middle of the night. He knew by his heart what's going to happen after that scene, it's the right reflex waking up right now otherwise what soaked him wouldn't be only sweats. Especially when...

Daniel turned around. Despite the dimness of the night, moonlight from its complete disk which sneaked in through the breach of curtains made him still be able to discern that the boy slumbering next to him in the same queen-sized bed was brunet, not blond.

There were several times he had wet dream while sleeping next to Steve, and when the Irish asked whom he'd dreamed of, Daniel couldn't do anything but lie.

If he could, he wouldn't want to lie to Steve...that much.

And at the moment, Fernando was even here, under the same sky, in the same country, even under the same roof. Is this going to aggravate his hallucination, if it could get even worse, though? Simply the thought of that made Daniel agitate deep in his chest, gut and bone.

Daniel lay looking at Steve for quite a while after that, struggling to calm his vacillating heart, then shifted closer, wrapped an arm around the Irish's waist, snuggled up to him and forced his eyes to close for the rest of the night.

***

The first day of the trip was for strolling leisurely, dining nice Monacan cuisine and snapping photos around the town, they had even too-much time here provided that Monaco was the second smallest country in the world.

They woke up late, no rush needed anyway. Daniel wallowed in bed, waiting for Steve to finish his shower, but it seemed so long so his lids automatically gradually drooped, his mind drifted to somewhere nonsensical. Daniel's half-asleep, half-awake, when hearing the door being opened and as he half-opened his eyes, saw a tall figure ambling across the room to his bed. The approaching boy had blond hair and freckly face. And when he bent down to kiss Daniel softly on the cheek, he noticed that those brown eyes were sparkling mischievously.

The touch of those lips felt so fucking real.

Daniel snapped his eyes open.

Steve was bending over him, snickering. He had only a white towel around his waist and was definitely the one who’d just kissed his cheek. After having adjusted the perception to take reality in, Daniel smiled softly, traumatically.

Right. How could it be Fernando? The blonde would kiss him only in his dreams. When realism returned as he opened his eyes once again, Fernando would instantly vanish and Steve Finnan would be right there instead, completely replaced the Spaniard.

Fernando Torres doesn't love him, has never loved him, and wouldn’t love him in this life, they're all his delusions. That simple and easy.

When would he realize that? How could he make himself stop thinking about the boy? When would his heart understand that Fernando would never come back no matter how long time has passed, how hysterical he craves for him, imagines him saying ‘I love you’ fictitiously over a million times or them making love over and over?

That even they staying under the same sky, in the same country, and even under the same roof right now, couldn’t change that axiom just a little.

Would he even realize that in this life, though?

***

After having taken a shower, they got down and met Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso in the lobby.

"Sound sleep?" Steven greeted his nephew. Daniel nodded.

"Great. How about you? Any work today?"

"Yes, Fernando and Dirk had already gone for the first meeting. We'll follow afterward."

Fernando's name stung Daniel’s heart, it prickled like needles.

"Where will you guys go today?" Steven asked casually.

"Strolling along shopping streets and the likes, maybe." Daniel shrugged. "Well, we'll need lunch first, I'm starving." Steven chuckled.

"Well, I'm not able to treat you this lunch, though. Xabi and I need to catch up with the meeting and have lunch with our future customers, I hope. How about dinner? What do you think? All your friends, and all my team. At Le Saint Benoit, yeah?"

That offer took Daniel off guard so Nicklas got in charge immediately. "Yes, of course. Why not?"

Daniel gawked dumbfoundedly at his friend yet still couldn’t find the words. Steven grinned gleefully. "See you guys by seven then, yeah? Xabi and I need to go now." And he went out with Alonso, leaving six boys in the lobby.

"What are you doing?!" Daniel hissed at the other Dane after his uncle had gone and Steve had already walked ahead with Jordan. Nicklas raised up his brow innocently.

"I just politely accepted your uncle's free dinner offer. What's the problem?"

***

They went to Le Saint Benoit, an elegant Florentin-style restaurant near Port Hercule, to find Steven's team already there. Daniel sat next to Steve, across from Steven who had Xabi and Fernando on both sides. They ate, chatted, and laughed, bitterly and ironically for Daniel since he felt like suffocating from the blonde’s presence already. Yet Fernando didn't say a word, he didn't even look at Daniel but chose to furtively catch a glimpse of Steve who's sitting exactly opposite him once in a while. There was once that the Spaniard glanced up in the Dane's direction and their eyes accidentally met, and Fernando instantly tore his look away, pursed his lips tight like he thoroughly regretted doing that, like he felt ashamed sitting across from the Dane, like he came to grief that he’d decided to come here in the first place: both this fucking restaurant and this beguiling country.

In the middle of that night, Daniel dreamed again. This time Fernando was sitting on the edge of the bed in Daniel’s room - this fucking room he's sharing with Steve at Port Palace hotel. Daniel was standing in front of him and they're kissing. The blonde slowly stripped the Dane's clothes off and he’s doing just the same to the other's. When their naked bodies finally interlaced in bed, floating together in a lecherous serenade under Monacan twinkling moonlight, the Spaniard dug his nails into Daniel's arms, panted against the sweaty tattooed shoulder and hissed in his ears.

"I'm your one and only souvenir, remember?" The blonde whispered spellbindingly, poisonously, "Danny, now and then and forever...,"

"...you'll not love anyone but me."


	34. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 3/12)

“Black.” Steve nudged Daniel with his elbow. They were at Casino Monte Carlo, playing roulette. It was an afternoon of their second day in Monaco. After having lunch, they decided to come here with Nicklas and Robin, leaving Joe and Jordan who were here for a particular purpose: races in the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix, going out with F1-driver companions. Four of them scattered around the casino being obsessed with their investment: at the Blackjack table, Baccarat, or Craps. Daniel and Steve had stuck with roulette for a while now. The Dane frowned upon the Irish boy’s suggestion, peering at the roulette wheel like wishing it to impart its next destiny’s call.

"Red,” he hissed, placing their chips in the red bet space. Steve didn’t look satisfied but neither did he object.

When the ball was sent spinning around the wheel and eventually fell into a black pocket, Steve punched the Dane playfully on his shoulder. “I told you!” He gnarled.

Daniel laughed, it’s just a game anyway. "We’re running out of chips." He looked at their pile of plastic token that was diminishing with every passing minute.

"Want me to go and change?" Steve grinned, which meant he wasn't gonna finish with this game so soon. Daniel chuckled.

"I'll go." He ruffled the Irish's hair and headed to a cashier counter in the far corner of the hall.

Daniel spotted Fernando standing at a Blackjack table en route, sipping wine contentedly with a guy whom he remembered as Kuyt. That wasn’t a surprise, it’s actually crowded in this most reputable tourist sight of Monte Carlo where anyone with money could get in. Actually, there weren’t so many places to go in this country anyway.

Reaching the cashier counter, the Dane took his wallet out and handed the girl behind the iron bar his credit card, told her to convert an exact amount of plastic money to another dissimilar-shaped plastic kind, but soon he stiffened up by surprise as someone approached him from behind.

"We haven't talked properly yet." Fernando’s voice was soft as he put the wine glass on the counter ledge, hesitation stashed away in the belied-dispassion tone. Daniel held his breath automatically.

"Hi," he said, didn’t look up at the other boy but pretended staring at the beautiful attendant behind the counter. Fernando snickered at the Dane's fake sternness.

"Don’t be so cold to me," he mumbled, and Daniel knew at that moment that the blonde’s not gonna give up on this easily. "How are you these days?" Fernando asked.

"I'm good," Daniel turned around, voice still a bit rigid, not because of anger but maybe because they’d been estranged for years so Daniel really didn’t know how to act. He definitely couldn’t act the same way he’d done back then, right? Yet his eyes which were gazing at the Spaniard softened now. He grabbed a bag of chips on the counter, asking back, "You?"

"I'm okay." Fernando bit down his lip. Daniel spun the other way and stalked back towards the direction he’d come from, Fernando tagged along. "That boy, Steve," he said uncertainly, "is he your boyfriend?"

Daniel held his breath, why the fuck are you asking this? He hissed in a very low voice, "yes."

Fernando was hushed for a moment. Then when they're about to reach the table zone where located roulette and Blackjack tables, including Steve and Kuyt, the Spaniard gently placed a hand on Daniel's arm, only for a brief moment of notice, then turned right in a different direction.

It wasn't coercion, and Daniel could go straight on the same path if he'd want to, if he'd choose. Nevertheless, he wasn't much surprised finding himself turning towards the direction the blonde had gone.

Wherever it is, he doesn't care as long as Fernando's there.

The blonde sat in front of a slot machine, fumbled a change out of his pocket, coined in and pushed the button. Daniel sat down beside him, watching the reels with numerous kinds of fruit symbols spinning absentmindedly. It stopped with no matching patterns in the rows.

"How long have you been together?" Fernando mumbled, his eyes fixed on the screen while he pushed the button one more time.

"Two months," Daniel answered.

The Spaniard was silent, kept spinning the reels over and over.

"And how about you?" Daniel heard his own voice ask dryly, it sounded more pleading than it should. The Dane pursed his lips, holding his breath unawares as waiting for the reply.

But Fernando pursed his lips and didn't answer.

Right.

He shouldn't have asked this, he really shouldn’t have asked this for fuck’s sake! He should have better acted ignorant, being oblivious than knowing the truth which wouldn’t do anything except eating him away inside like it'd been for years up until now because, reality was always reality, Fernando already had a boyfriend, who wasn’t him. Realism wasn’t what he saw in his delusions, wasn’t what he’d been dyingly wishing it to be…

When silence started to become real uncomfortable, Daniel budged, ignoring his own screaming bleeding heart. No matter how much he actually wanted to sit over here unmoved, watching Fernando spinning that slot machine until the world ended, it couldn’t change the fact that Fernando had never loved him. Daniel whispered bitterly,

"I think I’ve gotta go, Steve is-"

He didn't have a chance to finish that sentence when Fernando abruptly turned around and lurched forward. The sound of slot machine ending its spin without luck once again ringed in his ears while the too-familiar delectable lips claimed his.

The savor was so one-of-a-kind that it's so unmistakable. If he would have a chance to taste it a hundred years from now, he would also be able to identify immediately that it was Fernando's. It was the sweetest as well as the most enticing and poisonous thing he had ever experienced in his life.

Daniel knew he could simply push Fernando away if he didn’t want this, stand up and walk back to the roulette table where Steve's waiting, doing what he’s supposed to do, the rightest thing. But that's not what his heart really wanted deep inside. No. What he really wanted, had been longing, craving, and waiting for, was right in front of him over fucking here.

If I could have Fernando Torres, God, I wouldn’t ask for anything more…

Only he could complete me.

He’d thought that he had lost it forever, that he would have it only in his fantasy for the rest of his life to come. But now he knew it's back, at least until the Monaco Grand Prix finished, or whenever, for Christ’s sake, Daniel didn't really care.

So Daniel put his hand under the cluster of blond hair, pulling Fernando closer and crushing his lips back against the Spaniard’s with all his heart, mind and soul.


	35. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 4/12)

The sun was blazing bright in the sky of Monte Carlo. This extravagant capital city of Monaco was packed with tourists from all over the world who wanted to be a part of the most prestigious, glamorous and exciting automobile race on the planet: the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix.

The race would be held on streets of Monaco on Sunday, another four days from now, but the first practice session started tomorrow so Joe and Jordan had to prepare their race cars at a garage near Port Hercule. Daniel, Steve, Nicklas and Robin who were free decided to sightsee Monaco-Ville.

They walked up the hill to Palais Princier de Monaco, pausing at beautiful spots for snapshots. The sun was beaming and the scenes were so astonishing. They ambled into an adorable narrow alley leading to Cathedrale de Monaco.

Nicklas nudged Daniel with his elbow. "That's Fernando."

Daniel looked around, then he saw him. Fernando's sitting at an outdoor café not far off with some guys: one was Xabi Alonso, so Daniel reckoned others might be their customers.

Fernando’s eyes sidetracked at that moment and met Daniel's gaze. The blonde smiled, as if to casually greet the Dane with 'good morning' and also gave it out in Nicklas’ direction. Nicklas’ return smile was so wide.

"You guys seem okay." Nicklas observed as they kept on walking. “Not like at dinner two days ago where you seemed so discomfited around one another. Something good has happened then?”

"I'm okay," Daniel replied flatly, heedless of answering the other question. Nicklas smirked.

"He's hot, no?" He teased. Daniel gnarled this time.

"You leave him alone."

“You know I always think he's a freaking hot stuff,” Nicklas kept babbling, turning a deaf ear to Daniel’s threat. "If you don't want him anymore, why can’t I have him then?”

Daniel stopped short, gaping, didn’t know why there’s this feeling like something’s burning inside him right now. Where does this much jealousy come from? He didn’t even realize when barking at his friend furiously, “Don't you dare touching him! He's not a thing that you could relay!”

“Whoa, what's that about?” Despite that, Nicklas wasn’t even taken aback, he kept on cornering Daniel, “You said you guys had broken up already, remember?” He chuckled good-humoredly, too good-humoredly. His next question was a nail-on-the-head it sent Daniel gasp instantaneously, “You still love him, don't you?”

That's definitely an unforeseen question, Daniel was caught off guard and now gawking at his so-called friend inanely. Nicklas laughed. “If your answer is ‘yes’, show me how far you'd go,” he challenged like they’re contenders already.

Daniel was collected at the moment. "This is none of your business! Leave him alone, you hear me?!” He hissed intimidatingly, it sent Nicklas guffaw this time.

"Hahaha, come on! I was just kidding about taking him from you, mate." He patted Daniel's shoulder encouragingly, being supportive once again. "I'm not gonna touch him. I remember so well how many weights you’d lost in mere two months after coming back from London that time. I didn't think I'd ever seen you that heartbroken before even at that time with Sofie. Actually, I'd never imagined you could have been that much into someone," he lowered his voice when Steve and Robin who were leading ahead paused at a gift shop, peering into the front window and pointing at something while exchanging opinions animatedly.

"It hurts, doesn't it? Falling in love," Nicklas kept on babbling but voice a tad lower. Daniel pursed his lips, and with Nicklas' next sentence, almost bit his tongue in a sweat. "I know it's been more than a year now. You go on with your life, doing fine and also having Steve and such. But as your best friend, I can tell from the way you look at him that you still can't get over him a bit."

Why does he have to be a smartass and know everything? Daniel gritted his teeth out of vexation, snarling, "Don't you dare telling anyone about this."

"Of course not!" Nicklas howled. "I'm the only one who's with you from the start and know the story between you and him, and so will be," he promised, feigning seriousness, yet Daniel could see mischief flickering on his lips and in his eyes. This wasn’t gonna be good. He growled,

"How much do you want? A hundred Euros?"

"Daniel, come on! I'm serious. You know you'll need me in this. And I'll do my best." He patted Daniel's shoulder again, reassuring with a naughty grin, which couldn’t relax the other Dane for a little. "So if you want a hand, don't hesitate, dude."

Daniel's nonplussed this time. “Why do you do this?” He didn’t understand Nicklas’ intention. He'd thought Nicklas wanted the Spaniard all to himself, why now the shoe was on the other foot that he offered to help him instead? Especially when he already had Steve.

He really wasn’t sure this was a good idea.

“Because I'm your best friend, asshole," Nicklas replied. “I wanna see you happy again, which I haven't seen since you came back from London that time. Tell you what, you've barely smiled like you actually meant it for years.” Nicklas said as they paced up to Steve and Robin. Daniel’s voice that replied him was faint,

“I know.”

“Don’t be so gloomy, dude.” Nicklas ruffled the other Dane’s hair to cheer him up. "By the way,” he said teasingly, “a hundred Euros is so nickel-and-dime."

Daniel snarled.

***

They stopped to photograph in front of Cathedrale de Monaco where they could gaze down at Port de Fontvieille. Steve went to a nearby coffee stand with Robin while Daniel's busily taking photos of the breathtaking sceneries, that’s when two hands caught his waist.

"Good view?"

Daniel almost jumped, turned around and found Fernando grinning mischievously behind him. This was like déjà vu, is he dreaming again, though?

At the moment, the possibilities of both hypothesis: sweet dream or poignant reality, were equal. It could be either of them, or both.

"Fernando," he hissed.

The Spaniard smiled sweetly. He stepped up beside Daniel before resting his arms on the banister, looking at the bay through the light-brown sunglasses, permed fair hair swaying in the wind. Daniel almost forgot to breathe, that captivating sight inevitably reminded him of them in Ibiza back then, before the dramatic romance saga between them started. They barely knew each other at that time when they stood by the barrier looking at the sapphire Mediterranean Sea together.

Look how far they had come now.

"I always love how the Mediterranean Sea glitters under the sun," the blonde murmured dreamily.

"Hello there, gorgeous,"

Nicklas’ voice that chimed in from the other side of Daniel sent him stiffen up instantaneously. Fernando turned around and smiled at the newcomer jovially.

"Hi, Nick," he greeted the other Dane across Daniel.

"I haven't seen you for ages. How are you?" Nicklas chatted lively, looked so good-humored, as always. "I hope Daniel had better taken good care of you so far otherwise I'd kill him."

Daniel turned around and gawked at his friend in disbelief, but Nicklas pretended he didn't see. Fernando giggled.

"He did, don't worry."

"Daniel," another familiar voice that called from behind had Daniel turn rigid the second time in two minutes, but the two people on both sides of him didn't even budge. Daniel spun around, so the other two flanking him reluctantly followed the motion.

Steve’s standing there with two cups of coffee in hands. "I bought you-oh, hi, Fernando!" He greeted the newcomer, surprise glinted in his dark eyes. “I didn’t know you’re here, too, otherwise I’d buy you another cup of coffee.”

"Don’t worry about that. I just drop by," the Spaniard replied, smiling at Steve in high spirits. The Irish shot a smile back before turning to his boyfriend.

"Dan, Joe just called. He was testing cars with the pit crew. He said we could go to the garage if we want to, his friend has sport cars that we can try out. You seem to be into this kind of stuff more than I so-"

"Sure, let's go," Nicklas was the one who cut off. Daniel quirked up his brow, glaring at the other Dane suspiciously. "That sounds fun, no? I'd like to try that, too. Fernando, you can come with us if you want."

That's absolutely what he's scared of, fuck you, Nick! Daniel's dumbfounded. Without turning his head around, he could visualize the Spaniard grinning mischievously at Nicklas when he said,

"Sure, thanks."

 


	36. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 5/12)

They arrived at a garage near Port Hercule. Joe and Jordan were there and they introduced everyone to their friend, the garage owner, Jamie Carragher. Jamie received them cordially and showed them around the showroom and parking lot.

"I fix cars, trade second-hand sport cars and rent them," he explained in Scouse accent. Daniel was excited, he loves cars next to camera and tattoo. He loves speed and he loves risks, he loves anything dangerous. He guesses it's in his testosterone hormone.

And Fernando's dangerous, that fact has never failed to arouse him.

Fernando's fingers were lightly stroking the polished surface of a black Maserati GranTurismo S with admiration.

"Can I try this?" He asked Jamie, expectation and excitement gleamed in his brown eyes.

"Sure." Jamie smiled, strode to the corner of the lot where there's a table, fished for something in the drawer then came back with the Maserati key. "It's yours, sexy." He winked at the blonde and Daniel was quietly irritated by that blatant flirt. Actually, he should just get used to the Spaniard's superfluous sex appeal by now already, he didn't know why he didn't.

Smiling coyly, Fernando fetched the key and unlocked the car. He slid inside in front of everyone’s enthusiasm.

The car was ignited with a loud noise. Looking at the dashboard, Fernando revved the engine then suddenly changed gears and set off. There's enough space in this roomy lot for test-driving and the blonde sped up so fast until the car almost ran into the far end of the garage. Daniel had been holding his breath unawares and he slowly exhaled with relief upon seeing the Spaniard swerve the car away intactly.

Not only him, others had been holding back the air, too, particularly Jamie.

“That was breakneck.” The Scouser wiped sweats off his forehead. “But I like that.”

Fernando slowly drove back and returned the car to its parking place.

“Sorry if I scared you.” The blonde handed the key to Jamie, sticking his tongue out endearingly in shame.

"No, that’s totally fine.” Jamie laughed it off. “And actually, I’ll give you another one to try out. I just got this baby today and hope you’ll be smitten by it like I do. Would you be interested in Aston Martin DBS?”

“You mean James Bond’s car in that Casino Royale movie?” Fernando’s jaw dropped out of effervescence. "You serious? I'd love to. Yes. Please. That model is state-of-the-art I’ve always wanted to test-drive!”

So Jamie gave him the key and led them to a black Aston Martin DBS. Fernando looked so energized, he caressed its radiator bonnet fondly and ogled it with sparkling eyes. Daniel smiled at the Spaniard’s adorable reaction, he’d never known Fernando was so much into sport cars. Actually, there might be a lot of things he didn’t know about Fernando.

“Dan, I’m hungry,”

Steve blurted out, he looked so bored since he knew almost nothing about this kind of stuff. He even yawned now. “Let’s find something to eat.”

Daniel froze, well, he preferred staying here where Fernando was rather than going out now since he’s not hungry yet. He's raking his brain for an alibi to persuade the Irish boy to stay a little longer when Nicklas came up with an alternative.

“I think Daniel would prefer test-driving, too,” he said. “Robin and I can go with you if you want an early lunch, right Robin?” That was absolutely coercion, Robin looked truly dumbfounded.

“What?”

“Come on!” Nicklas gripped the Dutch’s wrist. “I know you’re hungry.”

“If Daniel really wants to test-drive, I can wait,” Steve announced while Fernando who seemed so heedless of this argument had already embarked on that gorgeous Aston Martin.

“You don’t have to,” Nicklas opposed.

Steve raised his brow. “What do you say, Dan?” He turned to Daniel instead. The Dane felt his throat dry up.

What is Nicklas trying to do? What is he himself trying to do?

Are we colluding cheating plan against people, Steve, to be precise, now?

“You don’t have to,” yet Daniel heard his voice parrot after his friend.

Steve narrowed his eyes then aimed curiosity back at Nicklas. “You said you’d like to try the cars, too, but haven’t yet,” he pointed out.

It seemed that Nicklas had already forgotten about that point. “I…it’s okay. I’m too hungry to do anything now,” he answered. Despite the affirmation, Steve didn’t seem to satisfy, yet.

“If it won’t take long, I can wait,” he still insisted.

“We can go first so you can order something for Daniel. Restaurants might be packed at noon, too many people are in this country right now," Nicklas said and this excuse made Steve contemplate hard. Fernando had already set off his new lavish toy at high speed, propelling it around the lot. “What would you like to have, Daniel?” Nicklas spurred the other Dane.

“Umm, anything with fish would do,” Daniel answered then looked up at the Irish with daring eyes. “Is it okay, Steve?”

Questions echoed in his head: when does he start acting along Nicklas script? Does he need to do this? Does it really have to be like this? Is it necessary to fool someone innocent such as Steve so he could get what he wants? How's that different from what Fernando had done to him? He's fooled before and knows best how hurt it feels, why does he have to inflict the same on others right now?

Maybe he isn’t better than Fernando, maybe they’re alike, and maybe it’s necessary to get someone naive fooled if he really wants what he couldn’t get hold of morally that bad.

And he knows he wants Fernando THAT bad.

Did you think like that when you fooled me then, Fernando? And who were you really trying to fool: me or your boyfriend?

Or even yourself?

Steve shrugged, “Okay,” relenting eventually. “Call me when you finish then so we can tell which restaurant we’re at,” then he paused, “Do you want me to order something for your friend, too?” He nodded at the speeding car which was now reaching the other end of the garage. Daniel felt something tug at his heartstrings.

“Fernando likes fish, too. You can order him the same as Daniel’s,” Nicklas said, Steve raised up his brow questioningly.

“I didn’t know you know Fernando, too,” he remarked. Nicklas grinned.

“Daniel and I were together when we both met Fernando for the first time.”

"Oh.” Steve shrugged. “Let’s go then.” He locked eyes with Daniel. “See you later, yeah?”

Daniel nodded stiffly.

Steve spun around then led the way out of the garage, Nicklas and Robin trailing behind.

“Jamie.” One of the mechanics came in from the adjacent garage. “We need you over there for a second.” Jamie turned around to the Dane.

“You can test that car, too.” He meant the Aston Martin. “I’ll be at the other garage for these lads’ cars. Hand me the key there when you finish, yeah?”

Daniel stared at him, wondering what prank God had in mind for him this time. When he realized that Jamie’s waiting for his reply, he nodded stiffly once more. “Thanks.”

“No prob.” Jamie winked at him before making his way out of here with Joe and Jordan, all chatting animatedly down the way.

So everybody left and now there're only Fernando and him in the lot. The Dane leaned back against a nearest Ferrari, arms crossing over his chest waiting for the Spaniard to come back with the car though he actually didn’t know how to act when Fernando would eventually arrive. He’s anxious but trying to act calm: what should he say? How is he supposed to act? What is the right thing to do in this kind of situation? Their short conversation at Monaco-Ville or even the kiss last night before they parted back to their awaiting people like nothing had happened in Casino Monte Carlo didn’t help at all.

It didn’t take long before the apprehensive minute arrived. Fernando sped up the car until he’s about to reach its parking place then gradually decelerated.

The driver’s window was slowly slid down. “Wanna take a ride?” The Spaniard asked and snickered naughtily. Simply that could take the Dane’s guard down, well, when the time came, everything seemed to happen naturally. Daniel smiled, didn’t answer but strode to the passenger's side, opened the door and slid in, relaxedly until it surprised him.

“How was it?” Daniel asking attentively belied his uncertainty, his fingers gliding across the glove compartment while dark eyes looking around the car's interior until they stopped at the Spaniard’s brown pair which had already been gazing at him.

“Wicked,” Fernando answered in a thrilled voice. Daniel smiled good-naturedly.

“I didn’t know you’re into fast cars.”

"You still don’t know so many things about me.” The Spaniard changed gear then set off again.

He drove to the other end of the lot then stopped. “You wanna try?” He asked, and the Dane nodded. So they swapped seats and it’s Daniel’s turn to propel the vehicle around.

“I forgot to ask: where is Alonso? You were with him this morning at the café,” Daniel asked, his eyes didn’t avert from the front.

“He’s gone to meet up with Steven, they have another appointment,” the Spaniard said. “But my work for today is done, I’m free all afternoon.”

The corner of Daniel’s mouth twisted up, he's thinking about teasing the Spaniard then remembered that they’re not really together anymore and intimate tease might be inappropriate. So he pursed his lips and didn’t say anything until finished parking the car in its parking place.

He's about to turn around and ask the blonde to join their lunch when Fernando, without warning, attacked him with a kiss.

Daniel’s breath hitched. It’s a passionate kiss, differed from yesterday’s in that that one was a wistful kiss after their too-long separation, which for Daniel seemed like a thousand years. This kiss was stimulating, tantalizing, and Daniel, frankly, didn’t really want to know what’s gonna happen next. So he determinedly closed his eyes.

He felt the Spaniard shift, before that well-acquainted body squashed him with the familiar weight placing resolutely in his lap and Fernando’s recognizable legs in slim-fit jeans smoothly straddling him.

 


	37. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 6/12)

"Recline your seat," Fernando whispered to the Dane's lips, his voice hoarse. They’re in Jamie’s Aston Martin DBS. Daniel panted when they broke off the passionate kiss. One of his hand was caressing the Spaniard's waist under the fabric of his shirt while the other was doing what he was told: reclining his seat.

At this moment, his head was blank, the whole world had only the two of them and Daniel really didn’t care about anything anymore.

"Hurry up," Fernando goaded enticingly, biting Daniel’s lower lip teasingly while purposely pressing his groin to the Dane's.

Daniel pursed his lips, he's so hard right now after these mere couple minutes of molestation, and could also tell through the rough fabric of their jeans that Fernando's state was not so different under the confine of denim.

Daniel's hands slid hurriedly to the Spaniard's jeans, unbuttoned and unzipped him. Fernando moaned into the Dane's ear when Daniel's hand slipped under his boxers and caressed his erection fondly.

"Take off my jeans," Daniel hissed in the Spaniard's ear, and Fernando did as he was commanded: hastily unbuttoned the Dane's denim, fished out Daniel's hard erection and aligned it with his own. The blonde’s hand tugged, kneaded and squeezed, sending thrilling sensations with every single stroke to both of their cocks at the same time. Daniel gasped for breaths, arching in the driver's seat and almost fucking the Spaniard's hand hornily. Fernando's cock rubbing against his was intolerable enough, let alone that adroit hand. Daniel closed his eyes, panting hard. He thought he could even orgasm right here and now in Fernando’s hand, and then it would be so effortless getting hard again five minutes later and fucking him for real.

But Fernando didn’t let him, yanking his own jeans down with a free hand, exposing the perfect white ass, just like he’d done when they're in Prague. The Spaniard shifted until he was straddling right over the Dane's cock, his hand held Daniels’s erection still then prodded it gingerly at his own entrance. Daniel's face distorted torturously when Fernando slowly lowered down on him and the head of his cock gradually slid in.

"Oh, God," Daniel huffed. He'd never known how much he’d missed this. How he’d longed for the Spaniard's sweet odors, the soft incalescent skin against his. How he’d craved for the nose that always snuggled up against him amorously: the nose with freckles like his own. How he’d yearned for those sparkling brown eyes which always looked at him adoringly, those fingers that always glided tenderly across tattoos on his arms. And now when he entered Fernando, things he’d missed the most, everything inside the boy felt so familiar, too familiar, and his cock was now throbbing hard like it could explode any minute. In the dizziness of intensified sexual desire, Daniel could even feel Fernando's wall pulsating and clenching like it was welcoming him back, too.

On a whim, Daniel felt like he's back to where he belonged, eventually.

Fernando swallowed him to the hilt before collapsing down on the Dane. He's shaking considerably with both passion and pain and it's like he couldn't even control his body now. Daniel held his arms tight around the Spaniard giving him support and moved, but the space was so cramped despite his reclined seat. Daniel grunted,

"It's too tight in here."

Fernando snickered against the Dane’s neck, panting, "You mean the car or my ass?"

Daniel laughed, Fernando was always Fernando. He kissed the Spaniard lovingly on his freckly cheek then glided his lips to the other boy’s mouth, kissing him affectionately. Catching the blonde’s hips with both hands, he gently carried him to the adjacent passenger’s seat expecting more room and succeeded without their bodies breaking apart, both their lips and groins. And now the Dane was on top of Fernando instead. Releasing a hand from the blonde’s waist, he fumbled for a handle on the side of the seat to recline it, too.

Then Daniel moved, and Fernando arched and moaned, writhing vehemently underneath him. Daniel nuzzled up to the crevice of the Spaniard's neck, nibbling the soft flesh. Fernando's nails grazed across the Dane's skin under his shirt and dug into his tattoos when his sensations were aroused excessively. Daniel’s groans mingling with the blonde’s moans resounded in the restricted space of the Aston Martin. The sweet scent of novelty and genuine leather permeated the air and Daniel was real afraid that they would stain the brand-new glamorous upholsteries with their liquids. Jamie would definitely kill them if he had a clue of what they’re doing now.

It couldn’t stop him from fucking Fernando nonetheless.

“God, I miss this,” Fernando’s rave retrieved Daniel back to reality. The Dane grinned smugly at the sight of the Spaniard’s torturous gorgeous face. He bent down so the tip of their noses touched, panting yet kept staring at Fernando’s beautiful features. The blonde didn’t open his eyes yet lurched blindly forward, feeling for Daniel’s lips and he granted him unconditionally.

Then, without warning, Fernando shifted, swapping them over and pushing the Dane flat to the backrest so swiftly despite the limited space. At first Daniel turned rigid thinking that someone’s approaching, but there's still no one except them in this garage. Fernando’s straddling his lap again and currently controlling the rhythm. Daniel rested his head against the backrest, closing his eyes and rocking back in line with the blonde’s pace only when it was needed. He felt the Spaniard's wet lips glide across his neck, those incalescent breaths on his sensitive skin just felt so acquainted it sent him shiver ecstatically. Fernando grazed his teeth across Daniel's skin up to his ear, biting the earlobe playfully then whispering a question in his same spellbinding poisonous voice Daniel had missed so fucking much,

"Have you ever dreamed about me...," he panted, speeding up the rhythm as asking enthrallingly, "…after all this time?"

That question was like a dagger stabbing him in the middle of his heart. He writhed as approaching climax, gasping for breaths, squeezing his eyes shut tighter and hissing back deliriously, frantically, truthfully,

"Every single fucking night."

Fernando’s lips curled up against the back of Daniel's ear, he slumped on the other boy one last time and the Dane exploded inside him with a muffled scream.

And Daniel didn't lie when he answered that question, just a bit…

 


	38. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 7/12)

It was the first-practice-session day for drivers of Monaco Formula One Grand Prix. Daniel was having breakfast with Steve on a terrace of which was the hotel outdoor restaurant with an incredible vista of Port Hercule. Nicklas and Robin sat at the next table of which all had big white umbrellas shielding the burning morning sunray. Daniel's startled as hearing Nicklas greet the newcomers acquaintedly, "Yo, hot stuff, morning. And good morning to you, too, Kuyt."

Would it be so difficult for Nicklas to call Fernando by his name just for once?

Daniel heard the Spaniard greet Nicklas back good-humoredly as well as saying good morning to Robin. He turned around, just being polite. "Good morning, Fernando," he said.

The blonde smiled at him then turned to Steve. "Good morning, Steve. Good morning, Dan." Then he walked to a nearby table with Kuyt.

"Nick seems to like him," Steve noticed, looking at the Spaniard whose blond hair glistened under the sun. Daniel almost choked. He snarled,

"A lot, actually."

"Really?" The Irish boy quirked up his brow. "What do you think about him?"

"Nick? His usual thing." Daniel feigned absorbedly cutting the bacon with cutlery. But that question actually prickled him. What if Nicklas schemes this entire ruse because deep down he wants Fernando to himself, and the plan he shams helping Daniel is somewhat a deception?

Yet that doubt was immediately dismissed by the Irish’s next question.

"No, Fernando," Steve corrected. "What do you think about Fernando?"

Daniel stiffened. Why does Steve ask this kind of question from out of nowhere? Is he suspicious about them? Does he know anything?

The too-long silence that crept up between them made Steve shift in his seat restlessly. "I just wanna know whether you think he’s…, well, hot?"

Daniel was alarmed for real now. "What do you want me to say?" He asked back, pretending to be calm yet didn’t look Steve in the eyes.

"Anything." The Irish was staring at him. "I just wanna know your thought."

"And if I say yes?" Daniel prodded at the omelet with his fork.

"I said 'anything'," Steve's strained voice didn't imply that he would be okay with that answer, but Daniel took it that he’d already been granted a permission.

"Then 'yes'," he replied, looking up and locking eyes with the Irish boy’s challengingly this time.

"Okay." Steve resumed his breakfast with a dull atmosphere.

***

"I'll go out with Robin,"

Steve told him in a rigid voice. He'd been cold towards the Dane all day after that improper conversation at breakfast but Daniel wasn’t in the mood to apologize. He’s lolling in a deck chair, reading ‘Hello Sadness’, while letting sunlight lick his bare upper-torso on the balcony.

"To where?" Daniel asked, flipping the paperback to the next page boringly, not even looking up at the Irish.

"I dunno, just walking around," Steve muttered, grabbing his belongings. "I think Nick’s in his room, if you need a company." Then he stormed out of the room.

Daniel raised up his brow, his eyes stared at the page full of letters but his brain didn't take in any of their meanings. Steve was out, with Robin. Screw it that he’s his boyfriend, he has merely known the boy for two months and isn’t in the mood for any drama between them right now. Where the hell is Fernando anyway?

Daniel was getting up from the chair when the doorbell rang.

He quirked his brow up. Did Steve forget something? He stalked to the door and opened it without looking through the peephole.

Nicklas was there.

"Dude," Nicklas stated flatly, craning his neck to look around his pal's room, "Is Steve out already?"

"I bet you peeking at him going out just now," Daniel grunted, Nicklas snickered.

"Why are you so moody today?" The other Dane asked teasingly. "I heard from Robin that you guys had a fight."

"That's actually not the point, what are you doing here?" He snarled. Nicklas quirked up his brow.

"Don't be rude to your guests, mate," he said nonchalantly but Daniel could actually detect mischief in his sparkling eyes. "Look whom I’ve brought along." Then he gripped Daniel's shoulder and pulled him unceremoniously out of the room.

Daniel hadn't noticed but he's there from the start, Fernando was leaning against the wall, giggling hard.

"Hi," he greeted Daniel.

The Dane was really surprised. He gawked at the Spaniard, then spun around to his snoopy friend.

"I told you to leave him alone!" He almost yelled at Nicklas, Fernando giggled harder.

"Oh, come on, mate. Don't be so stingy!" He shoved Daniel's shoulder playfully and the push sent Daniel stumble in Fernando's direction. He clasped the blonde for support and the Spaniard caught his bare upper-torso with both hands in time. So when the Dane could straighten up, they’re literally in each other's arms.

"That's corny!" Nicklas gaped at the scene in front of him. Fernando chuckled lightly, nuzzling up to Daniel's shoulder coyly and Nicklas whooped joyously. Tightening his grip on the Spaniard's waist possessively, Daniel threateningly growled at the other Dane,

"I'm sorry but I don't share!"

***

Nicklas would stay in Daniel's room and text him if Steve was back. He would be able to handle an alibi of Daniel going out to a convenient store for a couple of minutes at that. So Daniel went with Fernando, to the Spaniard's room since it wasn’t safe going elsewhere.

This looks like a real fucked-up affair.

It is, though.

Fernando's room was two floors up so the sight of Port Hercule from here was even more exquisite. It’s three in the afternoon and the sun was up high. Daniel’s standing on the balcony, arms on the railing and was looking at the gleaming deep blue sea when the Spaniard stopped behind him and nibbled his bare shoulder. His arms slithered around the Dane's waist then hugged him from behind.

He felt Fernando's naked chest against his bare back.

"You’ve already taken off your shirt?" Daniel asked whisperingly.

"I’ve already taken off everything," Fernando mumbled against his skin.

Right.

Daniel spun around and Fernando instantaneously claimed his lips with his. The Spaniard staggered backward, leading the Dane until they're back inside the room. Daniel threw them onto the bed then stripped off his own board shorts.

Fernando giggled. “I love Nick for this.”

Daniel snarled, “You’d better love me more.”

They had sex. The door to the balcony open wide letting in afternoon sunlight and sea breeze which billowed the white linen curtains. Despite boisterous noises from the port below, the sound of music wafting in by summer wind which could be perceptibly heard from a blasting radio out there was Bruno Mars' ‘Grenade’.

What a coincident. Daniel bit his lip while Fernando gasped, legs tightened around the Dane's hips and nails dug into Daniel's tattooed forearms.

"Can I...ask you something?" The blonde floundered, panting. Sweats sprouted on his forehead, trickled down his temples.

 

 _Easy come, easy go, that's just how you live_  
_Take, take, take it all, but you never give_

"Go on," Daniel murmured against Fernando’s neck, didn't even slow down the rhythm.

"Do you still mean what you said...more than a year ago...," Fernando whispered, breathing hard but didn't open his eyes, "that…you loved me?"

 _Should’ve known you was trouble from the first kiss_  
_Had your eyes wide open, why were they open?_

Daniel sped up his thrusts, closing his eyes, too. What kind of question is that? Why are they talking about this now?

 _Gave you all I had, and you tossed it in the trash_  
_You tossed it in the trash, you did_

"What do you want me to say?" Daniel asked faintly.

"Anything," Fernando hissed, writhing under the Dane torturously. His nails dug deeper into Daniel’s arms, evidence of how he’s close to orgasm. Their bodies were slick with sweats from sultry weather and their own heats.

 _To give me all your love is all I’ve ever asked_  
_‘Cause what you don't understand is_

"And if I say yes?" Daniel huffed, remained closing his eyes but pounding into the Spaniard frantically now. Fernando screeched like he's in agonizing pain.

 _I’d catch a grenade for you_  
_Throw my hand on a blade for you_

"Then…say it-ah!" He writhed uncontrollably, arching up, his muscle clenched Daniel’s cock tightly. Then he instantly slung his arms around the Dane’s neck, hauled him close and gaspingly yet seductively whispered in Daniel’s ear,

_I’d jump in front of a train for you_

“I just wanna hear you say you love me…,” he paused, panting,

 _You know I'd do anything for you_  
  
“…when you come inside me, Daniel," finishing his sentence in an intoxicatingly alluring saccharine voice.

Daniel gritted his teeth, trying to restrain himself. He panted, nibbled the Spaniard’s earlobe and hissed shakily yet resolutely while bringing them to orgasms together, again,

_I would go through all this pain_

"Then it’s a 'yes', Fernando…,”

_Take a bullet straight through my brain_

“…I've loved you and only you…,” suddenly the blonde’s wall constricted so hard sending Daniel lose his control. Without warning, he jerked and vehemently climaxed inside the boy. With the shock and instant delirium, he heard the Spaniard scream telling him that he’d already come, too. Daniel flopped down on Fernando, feeling the blonde’s heaving chest and racing heart against his own.

_Yes, I would die for you, baby_

The Dane still huffed so hard when dreamily finishing his sentence against the Spaniard’s skin,

_But you won't do the same_

“…all this time…"


	39. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 8/12)

Steve stopped being standoffish towards him without their actual reconciliation and stuck with Daniel like glue afterwards. Fernando's quite busy two days later, too, so they hadn't talked much. But that was with Daniel. With Nicklas, they seemed to have more time meeting up: at breakfast, in the lobby, or even at the hotel bar at night.

It made Daniel get really jealous.

He started to doubt for real that Nicklas had contrived this getting-back-together sham so he could get close to the blonde himself.

But that did give him an advantage because Steve was more relaxed towards the issue about Daniel and Fernando now since he thought Nicklas had already hooked up with the boy. That’s why tonight the Irish called off their casual drinking at the hotel bar, leaving Daniel with Robin, Joe, Jordan, Nicklas, Fernando and Kuyt. Steven went out somewhere with Alonso again.

So Daniel decided to check whether Nicklas had really hooked up with the boy.

"Danny," Fernando greeted him when Daniel approached the group. Only Fernando, Kuyt and Nicklas were there. Others were mingling on the other side of the room.

"Dude." Nicklas patted his shoulder when Daniel sat down beside him. "We're talking about the race tomorrow. Our tickets are in A1 section as well as Fernando's."

Daniel quirked up his brow. "So we're sitting together?"

"Yep." Nicklas grinned. "Fernando's seats are just a row above us. We're so destined to be together."

What the fuck?

Daniel was annoyed, Nicklas’ merriment was too much for his liking. Why does he have to be so happy because of that? What the fuck does he really want out of this, anyway?

"Mate, I'm kidding! Don't look that seriously pissed!" Nicklas laughed good-humoredly, threw his arm around the other Dane’s shoulder banteringly and whispered in Daniel's ear, "Anyway, Fernando’s a real bitch and I like that so much."

Daniel snarled and shoved Nicklas’ arm off his shoulder vexedly while Fernando who’s sitting next to Nicklas threw a beer lid at them, warning, "Hey, I heard that!"

Nicklas laughed, still didn’t seem to notice his friend’s bad temperament. "Where's Steve?" He glanced around for the Irish.

"Back to our room." Daniel sipped his beer, it tasted bitterer than usual.

"Whoa, I guess I'm third-wheeling here then. Shall we go, Dirk?" He turned to the Dutch. Kuyt finished his beer.

"Sure, let's go to the bar." And they left, leaving Fernando with Daniel.

“So…” The blonde kept imbibing his beer good-naturedly after the two guys had gone out of earshot. “How are you?”

“Is there anything you want to tell me?” Daniel shot back in a rigid voice. That definitely took Fernando aback.

“What?”

“About you and Nick,” he blurted out, well-aware that it sounded petty. Why does he have to be the one chasing Fernando all the time?

He knew the answer himself, though: because he loves Fernando so much that any smallest sign of the blonde’s unknown step further away from where he stands could truly make him crazy.

The Spaniard's silent for a couple of seconds then eventually burst out laughing. “What?!” His voice sounded so disbelief. “Me and Nick?! Danny, there’s nothing going on between us!” Daniel pursed his lips while Fernando steadied his breaths. “You’re curious as to why he’s helping us.” The blonde toyed with his bottle of beer. “It’s suspicious, I have to admit. At first I also thought that he might want to take advantage of me because he’s been quite openly flirting with me anyway.” He sipped the last gulp of Kronenbourg off the bottle and whispered, “But Daniel, it’s not like that at all.”

Daniel didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until he exhaled a big gulp of air. He could feel that the Spaniard was saying the truth though he knew he shouldn’t really trust him in any case. "Do you want more of that?" But Daniel changed the topic, gesturing at the empty bottle in the blonde’s hand.

"No, I'm good. Already three bottles tonight." Shaking his head, Fernando pursed his lips and stood up. "I'm going back to my room," he muttered, locking eyes with the Dane’s challengingly. "Do you wanna come?"

***

Daniel was lying in the Spaniard's bed, naked. Fernando cuddled up in his arms. The sky was clear with the bright golden moon hanging over the dark Mediterranean Sea. Moonlight glazed the carpeted floor, the dark duvet and Fernando's naked body through the wide-opened balcony door.

"When will you go back to London?" Daniel whispered against the Spaniard's forehead.

"On Wednesday," Fernando murmured, his arm that clung to the Dane's waist tightened, his eyes still shut when he asked, "You?"

"Monday morning, according to plan," Daniel answered faintly.

"Hmm," Fernando snuggled up to Daniel's neck, opening his lids now, "And what’ll happen if you don't do it 'according to plan'?"

Daniel chuckled. "I don't know."

Fernando nibbled Daniel's neck. "Can't you stay longer?" His voice's tempting. "I can ask your uncle for leave, I haven't used any vacation this year."

Daniel closed his eyes, sighed and whispered in a very low voice, "Steve can't."

They were silent after that.

***

Monte Carlo was cramped.

Daniel was sitting in the A1 section along Avenue d’Ostende: a route in the circuit of the Formula One race. Steve on his left, Nicklas on his right, Fernando sitting above Nicklas with his uncle Steven on the Spaniard's right, then there were Alonso and Kuyt. Daniel could feel the excitement permeating in the atmosphere but instead of engaging in public emotions, he felt a bit of jealousy of how Nicklas could amicably banter with Fernando right here and now, the thing he couldn’t do.

Nevertheless, Fernando's wearing a fedora hat and Daniel remembered even at first glance that it’s the one he bought him from Paris.

That made him grin with triumph over Nicklas a bit.

The race started and the crowd's cheers were so blaring when a group of cars sprinted past them for the first lap. Daniel, Nikon-D3X in hand, took continuous snapshots of the fleeting scene. Though concentrating on the race, he could see from the corner of his eyes that Fernando had bent down and whispered something in Nicklas’ ear. They giggled good-humoredly then Nicklas turned around and whispered something back to the Spaniard, too.

"Joe is in 7th place and Jordan is 12th," Steve said and Daniel nodded, he didn't even watch the race. All his focuses were on his right: on Nicklas and Fernando.

Cheers roared again when the car troop speedily retraced for the second lap, the group quite scattered this time. He sensed the Spaniard lean down to snicker with Nicklas again, Daniel pursed his lips in irritation.

Then Fernando shifted, and the next thing he knew were the blonde’s lips against his ear,

"Don't be so grumpy, honey."

Daniel stiffened, he could see Steve from the corner of his eyes that he’s busily chatting with Robin.

"You know I'll always choose you over him," another entrancing whisper from the Spaniard. And before Daniel could come up with anything to reply, Fernando kissed him alluringly on the cheek and hissed against it with an even more seductive infatuating question, "Would you do the same?”

Daniel was simply petrified.

The Spaniard’s chortle after that sounded beguiling. Daniel still couldn’t budge when Fernando broke away in time for Steve to finish his talk with Robin and turned to him to talk about something related to the race, which Daniel had no idea what it’s about.

But when he replied with a faint 'yes', he realized he'd been holding his breath all that time.

***

There's a big party at a nightclub near their hotel that night, everybody went despite Joe’s and Jordan’s disappointing finishing positions in any competition whatsoever. They're all there, both Daniel's and Fernando's group, including Steven. The club was so packed Daniel thought he'd be suffocated to death and was surprised by every passing minute that he’s still alive there.

Daniel was sipping his beer when Nicklas punched him on his shoulder after coming back from somewhere. He glanced around and found only Joe. "Where are others?"

"Robin and Jordan to the restroom," Daniel answered, "and I guess Steve’s at the bar."

***

Steve just actually arrived at the bar, thinking about ordering another glass of tequila-on-the-rock when he saw Fernando already standing there.

The Irish frowned, then intentionally walked over to the Spaniard.

"Hey," he greeted, stopping just next to the blonde.

"Oh, hi." Fernando turned around and smiled.  
  
"One tequila-on-the-rock." The Irish told a bartender before turning back to the Spaniard. "How are you?"

Fernando raised his brow up. "I'm fine, thanks."

They’re silent for a while. Then after seemed like a good full reluctant minute, Steve inhaled deeply and blurted out, looked so determined in his state of tipsiness. "I saw the way you looked at Daniel...," he said, paused, stared into the Spaniard's brown eyes like searching for something faltering in there, something to tell him the truth he’d been suspicious for a while now.

But Fernando didn't betray.

"…Don't you mess with him," he finished his threat explicitly.

Fernando's hushed, like he’s really taken aback by that unanticipated attack. Then, fast enough, he smirked. An umpteenth glass of vodka-coke was placed in front of him by a bartender, the blonde didn’t waver as he snatched it up, one could see that he’s a bit drunk now.

"What make you think I’ll mess with him?" He asked over the cacophony of people and music.

"I don't know." Steve's voice was a bit rigid now, confronting Fernando who retaliated him nonchalantly like that. He didn’t prepare for this; it’s just the spur of the moment. "I just can feel that. And Daniel looks like he likes you, too."

"Oh, you noticed that, too." Fernando lifted his glass for a sip, still looked so dispassionate. "Then why don't let things be the way they should be if you think he likes me more than you?"

Steve gasped shocked by those shameless cruel words. That brazen retort was definitely unforeseen, and he's really frustrated now. "Don't you dare forget he's my boyfriend," he snarled menacingly. And with that, Fernando just laughed so hard like it's the funniest thing he'd ever heard in his entire life. Biting down his lower lip, Steve struggled to resist the urge to lunge forward and tear that insolent obnoxious bitch into shreds.

"How long have you been with him? Two months?" Fernando asked, staring into the Irish boy's eyes defiantly. "Do you know how long I've known him? It's two years." He smirked devilishly. "I've met him before you do, you fool."

Steve felt his gut twist peculiarly. Ice-cold chills ran down his spine.

"And why don't you go ask Daniel what he and I had done during that time and compare it with your relationship which you think is so valuable?" Fernando's smile was so balefully lethal. "It would be a long story and you'll have time to think until tomorrow morning about what you're going to do with your life when you realize it’s me and only me all along that Daniel Agger is in love with," his lips twitched up in a triumphant sneer one last time as the last venom was spat out,

"Not you."


	40. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 9/12)

Daniel was taken by surprise when Steve barged at and told him they would need to talk, in private, right fucking now. So they went back to the hotel which wasn’t far from the club and Daniel wasn't even sober yet when the Irish screamed at him,

"Tell me everything about you and Fernando!"

That, was what really made him sober.

"What?" Daniel was profoundly surprised by the question. He felt chills run down his spine.

How does Steve know?

"You heard me!" Steve screeched. "And I need an answer right fucking now!"

"He's my uncle’s personal assistant!" Daniel shot back, trying to be calm.

"That's not what I asked!" The Irish boy shouted, his face was red. "Did you fuck him?"

Daniel was stunned. He closed his eyes, trying to cool down the other boy fruitlessly. "Steve, where did you get that idea from?"

"Answer me! And don't you dare lying to me Daniel Agger!"

"Yes!"

The downright reply took the Irish aback. He stared heatedly at the Dane, somehow looked lost for words.

"He told me he met you two years ago, is that true?" His voice was a tad fainter.

Okay, so Fernando’s behind this. "Yes."

Steve closed his eyes, inhaling long and deep. "Was that when you fucked him? How about afterwards?"

"We did that quite several times." Daniel gritted his teeth.

"How about now?"

They were staring at each other, like fighters in the ring. Daniel felt the atmosphere rile up to the pinnacle. He didn't answer this question, he didn’t know what to say.

"You fucked him, right?" Steve's voice was so faint and Daniel saw tears oozing up in his sockets. "When?"

Daniel breathed in deeply, his gut twisted severely.

"When?!" Steve repeated, exasperation flashed intimidatingly in his eyes.

"Last night," Daniel whispered yieldingly in a low voice. Steve bit down his lower lip so hard Daniel was afraid he would bleed.

"After I’d gone back to our room?" He hissed, and Daniel nodded stiffly in admission. "Daniel, how could you do this to me?" And then he cried.

Daniel didn't know what to do. "Steve, I'm sorry," was the only thing he could faintly mutter.

"So you lied to me, all this time? You son of bitches stealthily intrigued, fucking each other shamelessly behind my back?!" Steve sobbed.

"No! I mean, it's just last night, Steve." Well, there were actually a couple of times before that but Steve didn't really need to know.

"You and Fernando are together all the time you’re with me!" The Irish shouted in fury.

"Hell, no! I'm not with Fernando! We haven't met for more than a year until we accidentally met here!" Daniel yelled back.

"He's your ex then? You guys broke up and this is how you get back together, by cheating on me!"

"No, he's not my ex. For Christ's sake, Steve! Fernando and I had never even been together!" This is so fucked-up.

"Fuck you, Daniel! Do you think I care what your relationship called? It fucking doesn't matter." Steve glared at him, and, not gonna lie, Daniel was a bit frightened by the tear-coated infuriating flames in his eyes. When the next question was voiced out, Daniel felt like all his entrails were rolled up into a ball and lodged in his throat, blocking all the air.

"Do you love him?"

Now, that’s the real thing.

Daniel closed his eyes. Maybe he’s crazy. He knew he could lie about this, just tell Steve that: no, he doesn’t love Fernando, that simple, that easy, and Steve would forgive him for all he’d done. He would have to choose though, between the one he loves and the one who loves him. Between the one who can give you the utmost happiness like you're in seventh heaven as well as can hurt you to the bones in the next minute, and the one who can give you nothing of that sort: you would be mildly happy being with him but it's not supreme bliss, you might feel hurt a bit knowing he's lying to you, but it's just a prickly sensation and really nothing compare with those fierce pangs you've experienced.

Between the one who can give you both paradise and inferno at the same time, and the one who can give you simply limpidity...

Maybe he’s out of his mind to do this, when Daniel spoke, his voice's so weak but he’s certain the Irish boy heard it clearly, acridly,

"Yes."

The answer echoed in the silent room and their blank heads repetitively like it wanted the pungent and better-hidden truth engraved on their hearts and embedded in their bones. Steve took in a deep breath like he’s trying desperately to compose, his voice shook as he replied,

"Okay, that's it," he blubbered. "I'm not gonna ask whether you’ve ever loved me. We're together for only two months and I wouldn't dare comparing this shit with your precious two-year hookup with that slut anyway."

Daniel pursed his lips, he couldn’t think of anything more to say. But when the Irish boy moved around the room gathering his belongings, the Dane was nonplussed. "What are you doing?"

"I'll sleep in Robin's room tonight." He pulled out his suitcase and threw stuff in carelessly. "Don't worry," he said without looking up, "after we’ve gone back to Copenhagen tomorrow, you'll never see me again."

Daniel took in a deep breath. He knew he’d already made a decision, and of course that wasn’t choosing Steve. But he’s sorry for everything that had hurt the Irish boy, very deeply sorry.

He knew he’d done it unabashedly, and of course he couldn’t mend anything now. "Steve, I know it's way too late, and you might not want to hear this…,” he paused, hesitated a bit, then whispered in a very low yet sincere voice, “…but I'm really sorry..."

Biting his lip, Steve swallowed down his gall. "You know what, Dan? If you really have that conscience, you would never have cheated on me in the first place. So, that apology doesn't change a thing, it couldn't fix anything now." He looked up with sockets full of pain and tears which twinged Daniel to the core of his heart. "You've hurt me so bad that even a thousand apologies would never make up to me."

***

"What did you say to Steve?"

Fernando turned around and smiled sweetly as the Dane approached him. He's standing with a bottle of beer in hand with Kuyt and, of course, Nicklas.

"What did Steve tell you?" Fernando retorted impenitently.

Daniel didn't answer, his statement was the summary of it all, "We already broke up."

But the blonde misunderstood it, he suddenly looked uneasy. "I know but…"

"No, I mean Steve and me." The Dane stared at Fernando who was shocked this time, and also noticed from the corner of his eyes that Nicklas’ countenance wasn’t so different.

"Oh, that-" Fernando couldn't finish his sentence as Nicklas interrupted,

"Are you serious?"

Daniel averted his eyes to the other Dane. "Yes, and Steve will stay at your room tonight, Robin had already gone there. So it’ll be you and me in my room, mate."

Nicklas grinned bitterly yet still blurted out mischievously, "And Fernando."

Daniel glared at him intimidatingly. "I said I was not going to share!"

Nicklas smirked. "You don't have to share. You guys can have fun and I'll watch."

"Nick!" Fernando gaped and beat the Dane's upper-arm in reproach, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. But that joke incredibly cooled Daniel down, he suddenly felt good-humored thinking that he's single again, well, since Fernando didn’t count. He strode towards the Spaniard, took the blonde aback as he still wasn’t sure how much he had enraged the Dane. But Daniel asserted his feelings by throwing an arm around Fernando's neck, tugged him close and kissed the Spaniard's freckly cheek lovingly. Fernando was shocked and Nicklas whooped.

"Can’t you just wait 'til tomorrow or something?” Nicklas cried out teasingly. “You bastard! You just broke up with your boyfriend!”

“Time is golden,” Daniel smirked.

“And you don't look as sad as you should," Nicklas snorted. Daniel quirked up his brow.

"Everybody needs to move on after some time."

"But you didn't look like you were moving on that time when you lost 22 pounds in two months," he retorted and Daniel glared daggers at him. Fernando was baffled and Kuyt was already forgotten.

"When did you lose 22 pounds in two months?" Fernando asked and this time both Daniel and Nicklas burst out laughing. "What's so funny about that?" The Spaniard was at a loss. Trying to suppress the laughter, Daniel snuggled up to Fernando's cheek amorously and inhaled the mingling scents of alcohol and Dunhill wistfully.

"I'll tell you later, okay?" He kissed the blonde affectionately on the cheek again.

Maybe he really didn’t have the conscience like Steve said, maybe he’s simply a heartless son of a bitch, dumping an innocent blameless lad a minute ago and now laughing merrily with a new evil bitch, well, not new really, an old bitch who’d gotten his heart all along.

Is he simply an ordinary guy who’s blinded by love, or a real fiendish monster?

Screw it! Does he really need to care about that anymore? With Fernando right here in his arm, Daniel didn’t think he would ever want anything more. The Dane smiled softly and nuzzled up against the blonde infatuatedly.

If I am that sinful and would have to go to hell because of this, Fernando…,

…I know I would still have you there.

  
The couple was so chipper they didn’t notice that Nicklas’ always-glittering eyes were glinted with regret this time…

***

"I’ve already postponed my flight," Daniel whispered against the Spaniard's temple. They were in Fernando's room. The blonde was moving on top of him, panting.

"To when?" He asked, nibbling the Dane's neck stimulatingly.

"Next Sunday," Daniel huffed, arching as feeling Fernando's burning wall clench his erection. He’s throbbing against the Spaniard’s inside and that sent spasm up Fernando’s body. The blonde gasped harder, choking on his own passion when Daniel asked whisperingly, "What do you think?"

"Let's go to Provence, shall we?" Panting against Daniel's jaw line, Fernando bit his chin teasingly. "I’ve always wanted to see the lavender fields."

Daniel chuckled. "And we can drive along Côte d'Azur." He rolled them over, sending Fernando lie on his back underneath him, whispered, "We’ll stop by Nice and Marseille." The Spaniard giggled, leaning forward to kiss Daniel passionately.

"I've never been to Cannes, too," he whispered to the other boy's lips, rocking back to Daniel and arching ecstatically as Daniel’s cock hit his prostrate. "And Saint-Tropez," he gasped.

"We’ll rent a car from Jamie." Daniel sped up the rhythm. Fernando screeched, moaned and writhed erotically.

"Then I'll drive," he huffed, closing his eyes now, anticipating hot liquid ejaculating into him any minute. Daniel grunted,

"No, you'll not. I will." Then he thrust into the Spaniard one last time and Fernando climaxed with a scream.

He’s definitely blind, insane, stupid, or whatever anyone would say to prefer this venomous lying bitch, coming back to be stuck with this same old paradox, over someone nonesuch who’s honest and true to him. But yes, he’d already done it: chosen him, broken up with Steve, here with Fernando Torres yet again.

He didn’t regret it a bit, though.

How eerily bizarre it is that the one we’ve always loved the most is the one who hurts us the most?

 _But darling I’ll still catch a grenade for you_  
_Throw my hand on a blade for you_  
_I’d jump in front of a train for you_  
_You know I'd do anything for you_

 _I would go through all this pain_  
_Take a bullet straight through my brain_  
_Yes, I would die for you baby_  
**_And I don’t care whether you would do the same_**


	41. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 10/12)

"But that Aston Martin ain't convertible." Fernando pouted. They're at Jamie's garage and too joyfully selecting and test-driving cars.

"I like this one." Daniel pointed at a silver BMW Z4 sDrive30i roadster.

"That one has extra-responsive handling with six-speed manual, powerful 3.0-liter inline-six engine, 254 horsepower at 6,600 rpm, and was rated ‘Top Ten Best Roadsters of All Time’," Jamie depicted its specifications like memorized by heart and the Spaniard couldn’t help whistling impressively. Fernando strode towards it and glided fingers across the silver polished surface admiringly.

“But beware, speed limit in France is 130 km/h on motorway and 80 km/h on open road. Though you have the fastest car in the world, you can’t drive faster than that. It’s not Autobahn, babe.”

They agreed on the rental price then set off, back to the hotel first for luggage and checking out. Steven permitted Fernando's leave, and when he knew the Spaniard would have a road trip with Daniel, he didn't seem surprised.

"Spaniards are charming, no?" He winked at his nephew.

"Can I drive around Monte Carlo before we go?" Fernando asked, looking at the Dane primly like a little boy who was asking for a toy. Daniel laughed.

"Sure, honey." He threw the car key to the blonde, the other grabbed it with a smug smirk.

They slid in and fastened the seat belts. Fernando ignited the engine, its loud noise made him grin.

"Don't drive too fast, your second most dangerous position is when you sit behind the wheel," Daniel murmured. The Spaniard laughed.

"What's my most dangerous position?" He asked, adjusting the wing and rearview mirrors.

"When you confront with my other partners," Daniel intended it to be a joke but Fernando's smile suddenly disappeared.

"How many do you have left?" The Spaniard's voice was suddenly rigid.

"Come on, sweetheart! That’s supposed to be a joke!" Daniel gaped. But Fernando was still grouchy when he revved the engine, grumbling,

"I'll get rid of them all."

  
It was all about summer sunshine, sea breeze and high-speed supercar. Despite the grumpy mood when setting off, Fernando resumed his good humor fast enough. The Spaniard's blond hair wavered in the air when he drove at 60 km/h on Avenue d’Ostende along Port Hercule - the exact same road they used for Formula One race three days ago. The scene was so exotic when roads led them up the hill, down the valley and along the coastline in mere minutes in this second smallest country in the world. Fernando drove up to a hilltop and parked there. It's a scenic point, down below they could see Port de Fontvielle. White dazzling yachts anchored quiescently at the marina while some other white dots were drifting peacefully dabbing the deep sapphire blue surface of the Mediterranean Sea. Everything was glittering stupefyingly under summer sunshine.

"This. Is. Stunning," Fernando remarked thrilledly as gawking at the picturesque panorama in front of them. Daniel smiled. Every time he thought he’d seen the most breathtaking spectacle, there would always come another landscape that's even more ravishing. The world is wide with too many beauteous places awaiting to be discovered, and Daniel would like to do that with the boy sitting next to him.

"Without you here, these scenes would mean nothing," Daniel muttered what he had in mind. The Spaniard turned around, suppressing a smile.

"Well, I'm here," he whispered, leaning over the car console to kiss the Dane on the lips. "And I'll always be there, wherever you go. I’ve already told you this." He snickered teasingly against the Dane's lips. "You're gotta be stuck with me until the end of time."

***

They planned to drive 172 kilometres all the way from Monte Carlo to Marseille today, stopping at some captivating spots along the sinuous local roads to take pictures of the dazzlingly-sunshine French Riviera: the Cote d'Azur coastline. Fernando was so merry, even talkative than usual, he chatted all the time while Daniel drove their roadster. They dropped by Nice, only 18 kilometres from Monte Carlo, and strolled along Promenade des Anglais, Avenue Jean Medecin and Old Town Nice for a couple of hours, and then Cannes where they decided to have a late lunch.

They had baguette sandwiches, hand in each other’s free hand as Fernando capered across Palais Des Festivals and Allée des Stars: an avenue with chains of celebrities’ hand prints in cement slabs, of which each square had a set of hand prints and the stars’ name etched in. Fernando paused at a slab, gawking at it.

"Pink Panther?"

"Why?" Daniel chuckled, stooping beside the Spaniard and looking at that slab with two paws on the floor. "Honey, he's a star."

Then they left Cannes to their final destination: Marseille. When they arrived, it was already seven o'clock in the evening though the summer sky was still alight, so they decided to find an accommodation.

Marseille is France's largest commercial port with numerous historical sights: old port aged since 600BC, Middle-Age fortifications, or Neo-Byzantine basilica. Yet the most famous tourist attraction might be the islands of the Frioul archipelago in the Bay of Marseille with the prison of Château d'If: the setting of The Count of Monte Cristo, a novel by Alexandre Dumas.

"Daniel." Fernando was looking at a leaflet in the tourist information center.

"Hmm?" Daniel turned around despite in the middle of a conversation with an attendant.

"What do you think about home-staying at a lavender farm?" The Spaniard's eyes just couldn't be pulled away from the leaflet.

"Not today," Daniel answered and turned back.

"Come on, honey! Tomorrow then!" Fernando entreated. "It says two nights at the minimum. So if it's tomorrow’s and the day after tomorrow’s nights, we'll still have time for Saint-Tropez."

"Let me see that." Snatching the brochure off Fernando's hand, the Dane skimmed through it.

"Please," the Spaniard nagged. "It's lavender, the emblem of Provence. I know we don't have much time, but two nights would be worth it. Can't you imagine us lying amongst the lavenders under summer sunshine? It’s all I’ve always dreamt of: summer in Provence with violet blossoms spreading all around us until they meet the crystal-clear blue sky at the end of the horizon, and we can also hear cicadas buzzing from a grove nearby. It’s like we’re living a summer fairy tale-"

"Okay, okay. Enough," Daniel cut off and turned to the attendant who’s giggling so hard at Fernando’s endeavor to induce the other boy. Handing the brochure to her, the Dane asked yieldingly, "How much is this and can we book it here?"


	42. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 11/12)

So they stayed a night in Marseille and took a ferry to If: the famous island from The Count of Monte Cristo, in the morning. Then they headed to Sault, a town renowned for its lavender field. Beyond Aix-en-Provence, landscape changed into purplish lavender fields spreading up to the end of the horizon. It looked so pacific and fairytale-like: scenes you might have seen from movies like ‘A Good Year’ or ‘A Year in Provence’. Sometimes a bicycle or small old Fiat passed them by on sinuous vacated local road leading to somewhere unknown yet mythical like the Emerald City. The Dane couldn't even drive at the speed he'd been driving up until now. The ambience was too peaceful and enchanting in its own dreamlike setup and Daniel was afraid that an invader like him would destroy the magic.

It was like he'd got lost in a world so surreal he didn't know existed.

"I almost forgot to breathe, afraid that the noise would break the spell," Fernando whispered, enthralled.

"Then we feel the same," Daniel muttered back. "Let's find the farm before we’d stray into a neverland."

They found the farm they’d booked for two-night homestays. The owners were there: Thierry Henry and Zinadine Zidane.

They’d introduced themselves before the owners clarified what they could and couldn’t do here, then they stowed luggage in their reserved double room and went out strolling in the field. It’s three in the afternoon and the sun was beaming. Fernando led their way through lavender dykes then instantly flopped down and lay spreading on the ground.

Daniel chuckled and squatted down beside him. "What're you doing?"

"Come on! Let's lie here together." Fernando tugged Daniel's hand and yanked him down. Losing his balance, the Dane tumbled on the dirt. The blonde giggled, still holding Daniel's hand while the other shifted to lie down beside him as being ordered.

Lavender fragrance pungently infused the air until Daniel thought his nose would be stupefied by poignancy any minute soon because it had already affected his brain. He lay on his back, heedless of the dirtiness. Lavender foliage on both sides sprouted toweringly when looking from a recumbent angle. Daniel squinted while gazing at the clear blue sky with violet racemes wobbling in the wind around the edges of his vision.

"Awesome, isn't it?" Fernando mumbled, hand still held the Dane's.

"Yes," Daniel whispered, entranced.

They lay in silence, listening to the tips of lavender being shaken in the draft and cicadas buzzing from a nearby grove. Daniel thought he could even hear the sound of a tractor working in a field not far off.

Then the Spaniard shifted, rolled over until overlaying the Dane. His hand fumbled with Daniel's pants while his mouth nibbled Daniel's neck. The Dane closed his eyes.

"Fernando..." He swore his intention was to admonish, but his hitched voice and breath when the Spaniard intentionally clenched his crotch with a provocative hand belied it all. Fernando snickered, didn't reply but finished with Daniel's jeans. Pulling the denim down his legs enticingly, the blonde glided his lips across the Dane's full-clad chest, abs, then reached the part that had already been undressed invitingly. He enveloped Daniel's member with his mouth.

Daniel arched, eyes closed. His mind was blown away by Fernando’s lips and summer wind. The weather was a bit sultry and the blossom scent was so acrid it made him giddy. Daniel felt a teasing bite on the tip of his cock which sent him jerk, yet he still lay on the ground, let himself be carried away by the other’s seduction.

Then Fernando shifted, taking off his own pants unhurriedly. Still didn't open his eyes, Daniel let other senses tell him what was happening. From noises, scents and touches, he could envisage the Spaniard straddling him, hovering over his crotch while the vivid green and gay violet pigments of lavender were lively shaking and dazzling in the wind under the sun.

"Are you sleeping?" Fernando's uncertain voice chimed into his illustration. Daniel laughed hard.

"Hell, no! Please continue what you've been doing."

Daniel could even imagine Fernando's suppressed smile when he resolutely yet gradually eased the Dane's cock into him.

Daniel's breath hitched, his hands slid up to hold the Spaniard's hips, both to steady Fernando and to attune himself. The blonde flopped down on him when he’d already engulfed Daniel’s whole shaft. Daniel opened his eyes, nuzzling up to the Spaniard's cheek before finding the boy's lips and claiming him passionately.

Fernando rocked his hips, and Daniel rocked back. Everything happened almost noiselessly, like they're so afraid of disturbing the pacific milieu of this picturesque tableau. Daniel could hear only their mingled huffs and muffled moans with the background noise of buzzing cicadas and the tips of lavender foliage brushing against one another in the wind.

Daniel came inside the Spaniard with a final thrust and Fernando climaxed not a minute later in the Dane's hands. The blonde detached, rolling over to lie beside Daniel on the field, panting. They quietly looked at the sky with wavering violet spikes fringing their sights of the bright blue space.

"I can lie here all day," Daniel murmured in fascination.

"Do it," Fernando said. He shifted and slung his arm around the Dane's waist, his face was on Daniel's shoulder, nuzzled up to the crevice of his neck. Daniel wrapped his arm around the blonde’s body, holding it against his. "We come here for this," Fernando mumbled, breathing in the odors of summer Provence contentedly, "Anything can wait until tomorrow."

***

They woke up when the sun was setting because of the deafening buzzing noise of cicadas. Fernando held the Dane’s hand while capering gleefully back to their two-night home. They had dinner at the house: Provence traditional cuisine called Daube, a classic French stew, Mr. Henry’s cooking. Fernando was chatting joyfully with Mr. Zidane when Daniel’s phone beeped.

_**{N. Bendtner}:** Dude, everything alright?_

He raised his brow.

_**Daniel:** Yeah, thx._

_**{N. Bendtner}:** Where r u?_

_**Daniel:** A lavender farm near Sault. Is everything ok over there?_

_**{N. Bendtner}:** Um, yes. Steve was kinda being a prick, but everything’s ok._

Daniel’s a bit worried about the Irish now reading that.

_**Daniel:** How’s he? Is he ok?_

_**{N. Bendtner}:** I think he can handle it, no need to worry. We separated at the airport, his friend picked him up. I haven’t talked to him since the day we’re back, but maybe Robin has. If there’s something wrong, I’m sure he’ll inform us, and that hasn't happened yet._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** Btw, about u and Fernando…_

_**Daniel:** What?_

Daniel started to get annoyed, thinking what Nicklas would say was about how hot Fernando was and whatnot.

But what Nicklas actually typed back was totally something else.

 _ **{N. Bendtner}: I** ’m a bit worried about u, come to think of it._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** Mind u, I’m glad to see u guys happy together again, otherwise I wouldn’t sweat giving u a hand in the first place._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** But this idea is crossing my mind just now. Well, actually after that night Fernando had told Steve about you and him…_  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** You know, he hurt u once, he can hurt u again._

Daniel stared at those letters.

Doesn’t Nicklas think he has already realized that? Actually, he reminds himself about that every fucking day.

_**Daniel:** I know, thx for ur concern._

_**{N. Bendtner}:** Fernando is a possessive bitch._

Daniel sighed.

_**Daniel:** I know that too._

_**{N. Bendtner}:** He just wants to win. I think I understand those feelings._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** It’s like when u had something, and u’d lost it. Now come to think of it, u want it back again. Not bcoz u’re in need of it, but bcoz u don’t like it when SOMEBODY ELSE has it but u don’t. It prickles u so bad, and u would definitely do something to stop those itchy feelings._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** He could have u once, and he knows he can have u again. He wants to win this battle, wants to prove that u r thoroughly his and no one could touch or have u. That’s y he told Steve, coz he’s so confident that ur feelings for Steve were incomparable with the things u feel for him. Two years versus two months, They're so different. He’s also positive that u’d choose him over the other, despite the fact that he IS still in a relationship with that guy in London. Bcoz he’s certain u love him THAT MUCH and would risk everything, anything, he asks u to. And I don’t blame him a bit for that bcoz u’ve put ur naked heart in the palm of his hand that it’s so easy for him to read. And he’s so scarily fucking right about it._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** Honestly, I didn’t mean it to come out like this at first. Well, of course I want u guys to be together again. But not u breaking up with Steve FIRST._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** I guess I underestimated Fernando. I pushed u to him because I wanted him to realize little by little that u’re the one for him and that he MIGHT love u, too. By the end of this trip, u guys might not ACTUALLY get back together, coz we only had a week's time. Frankly, I WRONGLY didn't think he'd have brazenly fetched u back in front of everyone. I thought at least u guys would keep in touch and u'd look like u r actually alive once again. U’d still have Steve or other guys or girls, coz I know u wouldn’t - couldn’t - stick with anyone longer than three months anyway. So in spite of the fact that Fernando might still not break up with his…boyfriend, I know u'd be able to get through it until it’s time._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** Maybe I'm that heartless for saying u could use anyone as a substitute for Fernando in the meantime. I guess I'm that cold-blooded. I was only thinking about helping u tho and we all know what u really want inside. U could fool others but couldn’t fool urself, and me. So yes, I second u to follow ur heart, no matter how vicious and painful the route seems, but not blindly and stupidly. U can do what ur heart calls for, but do it WISELY._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** And seriously, I don’t think u r doing like that right now._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** Anyway, everything has already gone beyond anyone’s control now. Well, except for Fernando, he’s the one who holds higher cards atm. And that leads to what I really want to tell u after all this rant, to warn about ur further steps on this spiny path. I don’t mean to say this to ruin ur extra holidays, you know it, right? But as a friend, I just want u to be careful._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** Don’t give urself over to him this time._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** I don’t wanna see u heartbroken again, that time u were so down-at-heel and looked more like a corpse than a man._  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** …_  
_**{N. Bendtner}:** Dude, r u still reading my messages??!!!_

Daniel pursed his lips, of course he’d been reading all those expositions. Nicklas’ intention might be a bit unforeseen, but other than that, he wasn’t that much surprised.

He typed back.

 _ **Daniel:** That’s definitely an insight analysis and also elaborate contrivance. I appreciate ur exertion, truly. Thx so much for ur concern about the issue, mate._  
_**Daniel:** I’ll b careful._  
_**Daniel:** I gtg now, so ttyl, yeah?_  
_**Daniel:** U take care, too, dude._

And he shut down the chat window.

Daniel looked up at the Spaniard who’s still chatting merrily, Mr. Henry also joined the group. The Dane couldn’t help smiling at that adorable sight. Nicklas was never gonna know about this because he wasn’t going to tell anyone…

…that it's already too late to warn him.

He doesn’t care whether Fernando would think exactly like what Nicklas had just said, doesn’t care that the blonde might simply play him again and that in fact the Spaniard might never EVER love him at all. And he’s not gonna ask anything further about Sergio either; he doesn’t wanna know about it as well as it doesn’t matter that Fernando would choose that Spaniard over him over and over.

Whatever will be, will be.

If you don’t love me, it’s fine. If you’re just fooling me again, it’s still alright.

Because nothing could ever change the fact that I’d already given myself over to you and buckled down to this from the start, since two years ago.


	43. Act 5: French Riviera (Chapter 12/12)

They drove to Saint-Tropez, across lavender land of Provence then along the coastline of Côte d'Azur.

Saint-Tropez, as its nickname of 'playground to jetsetters, fashion models, and millionaires’, was crowded on a relaxed day like this in the middle of summer. The golden beach was swarm and the streets were jammed, yet it's the charm of this little gem of French Riviera so no one minded. They all wanted to saturate the pricey glamorous atmosphere of summer vacation in this champagne resort town and willed to pay no matter how astronomical to be a part of it.

Hotels were mostly fully-booked. They’d tried several before getting one with only a honeymoon suite left vacant, so they took it.

They ambled around the town, shopping and soaking up the sun. They bought Kenzo bag, Yves Saint Laurent shirt and the most expensive ice cream they had ever eaten in their lives, squandering like millionaires. When they went back to their room that night, Fernando was so merry and bantered with the Dane like he’s ten-years-old again.

There's a Jacuzzi tub in the middle of their suite and Fernando stripped his clothes off once they got in.

"Let's take a shower together," he announced. Daniel chuckled and stripped himself off, too.

Water in the tub was warm and already full of bubbles when Fernando sat straddling Daniel, his arms around the Dane's neck and they couldn't stop kissing. Daniel's hands rubbed the Spaniard's hips, slid down to the crevice of his ass and prodded teasingly at his pucker. Fernando groaned into Daniel's mouth but still didn't break away from the kiss as Daniel's fingers penetrated him.

Fernando's path was slick with soap from Daniel’s digits. He moaned lasciviously while his hips slowly moving on the Dane's fingers sending the water surface ripple in tiny waves in addition to the doing of the hydraulic pumps. Daniel adjusted his fingers to a scissor-shape and raked stimulatingly on both sides of the Spaniard's wall sending Fernando shriek and jerk away frantically from the cause of the sparking sensations.

He fucked Fernando with fingers, his other hand clenched the Spaniard’s ass, those squishy fleshes were slicker than average under lathers. His tongue and Fernando’s entwined in the cave of their mouths. When the Dane pulled away, Fernando allowed them to gasp for breaths only for a couple of seconds before resuming the kiss again. Drawing his fingers out, Daniel arranged the blonde’s hips on him then fulfilled the Spaniard’s void with his cock, completing him by his whole.

It's a kind of heavenly feeling when you made love to someone in a tub full of bubbles with a hydraulic pump pounding high-pressured water incessantly on your back. It sent Daniel's body convulse severely with bizarre feverish sensations, making him lightheaded. He tilted his head up, gasping for air and closing his eyes when Fernando finally cut off their kiss and nibbled the Dane's jaw line and neck, feeling too good with the Spaniard’s slick skin against his own sleek body: their cuddling arms, caressing hands, entangled legs, their rocking groins…

He wished he could lie there and have sex with him like this forever.

"Daniel," Fernando murmured, panting and rocking slowly on the Dane.

"Hmm?" Daniel groaned back absentmindedly, spurred by Fernando’s hot breaths on his skin.

"I was just...thinking…,” the blonde trailed off.

“What is it?” He asked, in spite of the fact that he didn’t feel like discussing any topic at the moment at all.

“Can you...promise me something?" The Spaniard whispered against Daniel’s neck.

Daniel tensed. What is it that Fernando has in mind?

And as they’re connected, Fernando’s body betrayed that he’s edgy, too.

"Go on," Daniel choked the words out of his dry throat.

Fernando's silent for a minute despite his steady rhythm on Daniel.

"That...whatever’s gonna happen between us...," he said finally, uneven hot breaths brushed against Daniel's neck while his arms wrapped around the Dane’s shoulders tighter reflexively, "can you promise me that you'll never let me go again?"

Daniel held his breath automatically. "Why did you say that?" His gut twisted severely and he felt his heart pounding unsteadily now.

"I know I used to hurt you so bad," Fernando whispered against the Dane's skin. "And you have the right to hate me for that. But after everything we've been through...," he inhaled deeply, determinedly whispered the next sentence which later hauntingly echoed in the room,

"I don't think I want to live the rest of my life without you."

***

They dropped by Grasse, the world's perfume capital, the next morning. They visited Fragonard Perfumery, the museum of perfume, sniffing hundreds of odors until Daniel thought his nose had already gone dysfunctional since he couldn't detect other smells for the whole next hour.

Then Daniel drove back to Monte Carlo, slowly and reluctantly. Their hair whipped in French Riviera sea breeze as they drove past Eze, one of the renowned villages along Côte d'Azur. Fernando sat silently in the passenger’s seat looking out at the tardily passing-by tableau, his elbow on the window ledge bore the weight of his chin, blond hair unkemptly blown and he looked so absorbed in his own thought. When they crossed the border and eventually entered Monaco, Daniel felt like his bowels instantly disappear by the thought of the impending and unforeseeable future. Holding his hand out, he drew Fernando's hand from the other's lap for a squeeze like trying to reassure himself, too, as asking,

"You okay?"

The Spaniard turned around, a bit startled by being fetched back from his woolgathering. "Yeah." He smiled wryly. "I was just...thinking, again, sorry."

Daniel inhaled deeply. "About?" He had a hunch that it's about their conversation last night in the Jacuzzi.

"Us," the Spaniard answered faintly.

Daniel pursed his lips, wasn’t sure now whether it’s the right move asking Fernando all these questions. "Wanna talk?"

The blonde’s silent for a moment. "Not this one," he replied.

Right. It’s definitely not a good idea questioning the Spaniard the kind of things that the unfavorable answers could sting him in return. Okay.

But then Fernando burst out laughing. "I'm kidding, honey." He leaned over the car console to kiss Daniel on the cheek hearteningly. "I just...I dunno," he whispered against the Dane's freckly skin.

"You don't need to." Daniel squeezed Fernando's hand tighter like to reaffirm that he didn't demand any decision or anything at the moment.

He’s okay for them being like this, at least for now.

"Thanks," Fernando murmured with gratitude.

They unavoidably arrived at Jamie's garage at Port Hercule, back to where they started this unexpected road trip. Daniel parked in front of it, cut off the engine and turned around. He pursed his lips, though they'd faced this situation so many times before already, he still couldn't handle the empty feeling and fluttering butterflies in his stomach.

"My flight is at 5 p.m.," Fernando said, turned around and locked eyes with the Dane unwaveringly while asking, “When is our next trip?"

 


	44. Act 6: Greek Islands (1/6)

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Daniel, we've got a lil problem._

_**Daniel:** What is it?_

_**~«F. Torres»~:** Like, ur uncle knows u’r the one whom I'll go to Greece with._

_**Daniel:** Uncle Stevie knows that we hook up since our last time in Monte Carlo._  
_**Daniel:** So no need to worry, he's not gonna kill you bcoz of that._

_**~«F. Torres»~:** No, it's not that._

_**Daniel:** ???_  
_**Daniel:** Then what's it?_

 _ **~«F. Torres»~:** He said he would like to go there too. He'd never been to Greece._  
_**~«F. Torres»~:** He said it’s a good opportunity that he might get new ideas for biz from this trip and also new potential customers._  
_**~«F. Torres»~:** He said it’s such luck his schedule was quite loose exactly on those dates so it’s okay if he would go on real vacation which he hadn’t done in a couple of years._  
_**~«F. Torres»~:** So, Danny my honey, to conclude: he and Xabi will join us on our 10-day trip around Greek islands!!!_

_**Daniel:** WHAT??!!_

***

It was September and the weather on Mykonos was so damn hot that Daniel had already sweated from simply looking at the sunray on the other side of the glass wall of Mykonos Island National Airport. He was waiting for a flight from London Gatwick, which the flight announcement on an arrival board said it’s already 'landed'.

But where are they?

Groups of people swarmed out of the baggage claim area and Daniel couldn't help a wide smile as detecting a boy with that familiar cluster of blond hair walking out the sliding door with a guy that was unmistakably his uncle and another guy he remembered as Xabi Alonso, his uncle's number one assistant.

Fernando was glancing around the throngs looking for Daniel, too, and when he spotted the Dane, the blonde also couldn't help his lips from curling up into a too-wide smile.

"Daniel." The voice calling out his name wasn’t Fernando's but Steven's. They walked straight to him. Steven hugged Daniel as a greeting, before the Dane turned to greet Alonso with a nod and a ‘hi’. Then when it came to Fernando...

The Spaniard strode forward, clasped Daniel in his arms and hugged him so tight. Daniel embraced him back with profound emotion which he wished Fernando felt the same.

"I miss you," Fernando murmured against Daniel's neck, snuggling up against him.

"I miss you, too." Daniel whispered back, nuzzled up to the crevice of the Spaniard's neck.

They took a cab to town center then checked in at a hotel. Mykonos was a small island that enthralled visitors with adorable and captivating characteristics. Like other islands in the Cyclades, it stood out of the sapphire Aegean Sea with bedazzling white and deep blue cubist houses and golden beaches on sun-kissed outliers of dapple rock. The island lay 130 kilometres from mainland Greece and could be arrived by either airplanes or watercrafts like ferries and catamarans.

They ambled around Mykonos’ precious little downtown under the late-summer sun. Sloped narrow alleys sinuously tracking through the town were flanked by white and blue endearing tiny houses on both sides. And they got lost in those dearest bunches of dwellings on earth despite a map in Steven's hands plus his pensive furrowed forehead and frowned eyebrows. But no one seemed to care about the route except for him, even Xabi who’s always the brain in this kind of situation, as long as the scenes they're passing were stunning with vivid pigments of constructions and colorful flowers which intermittently dabbed at corners of streets and windowsills.

They stopped at a souvenir shop, gaudy tinctures of postcards and magnets also stupefied Daniel's eyes.

"What is this bird?" Fernando asked, pointing at a pink bird with large yellow beak painted on a magnet.

"It's pelican," Xabi answered. "It's the symbol of this island."

"Will we see it? It's cute." Fernando was in awe.

"Its real size might not be that cute." The other Spaniard laughed, then, in contrast with the three’s gleeful mood, a voice behind them growled moodily.

"Xabi, don’t you think you should help me figure out where the hell we all are now?!" Steven grumbled in annoyance after failing to identify the nth time where they were on the map of this spellbinding mazy town.

"Stevie, relax." Xabi replied, his voice was joyful and teasing. Leaving Daniel and Fernando at the shelf, the Spaniard walked toward Steven who was standing anxiously in the middle of the alley and snatched the map off his hand. "It's so gorgeous around here, don’t you think so? So why do you have to worry?” He chuckled. “But if you insist on knowing where we are on the map, the locals would provide best answers, Stevie!"

"Oh, you’re right, why don't I ask them in the first place?" A light hit him and the Englishman simply scratched his head confoundedly. Xabi snickered.

"You always forget when things are simple and easy. Look at the obvious first, Stevie, don't ponder too much."

Steven smiled, mischievously yet sweetly at the same time. "That's why I'll always need you by my side. You were born to fulfill me, Xabi Alonso." And then he stole the Spaniard's lips with a peck.

"Stevie!" Xabi yelped, then hissed. "We’re in the middle of the street!"

"And?" Steven grinned smugly and pecked on the Spaniard again brazenly. And this time he got a blow on his upper-arm as a penalty and an 'Ouch!' slipping out of his lips showed that though he’s hurt from the punishment, he’s also happy and would be willing to do it again whatsoever.

"How long have they been together?" Daniel asked Fernando when the couple had disappeared into a shop with the map.

"Three years," Fernando answered while being obsessed with selecting souvenirs from the shelf.

"I've never known,” he murmured. “They're so cute, no?" The Dane was still amazed.

"Yeah." Having three magnets in his palm now, Fernando turned around. "Wanna beat them?" The Spaniard quirked up his brow challengingly, trying to suppress a naughty smile but fail utterly. Daniel laughed, murmuring,

"Right, I guess we're cuter."

The blonde leaned closer, giggling. "And a whole lot cheesier."

And then he kissed him.

***

They arrived at the bay eventually, thank God. Pedestrian walk was curved along the coast providing visitors magnificent vista both when looking out of the shore to the deep blue Aegean Sea and when turning around to watch one of the most stunning towns in Greece bustling away on descending hillside in white and blue brilliant colors.

"A pelican!" Fernando excitedly pointed at a pink big bird gingerly stepping on the shore besieged with group of tourists. The Spaniard was so energetic.

"Let's go." Daniel held Fernando's hand and ran towards the shore. Fernando tried to get as close as possible to the large water bird while letting the Dane capture the grouchy pelican and the giggling him in the same frame.

Then they walked along the coast to Little Venice, the neighborhood of elegant and gorgeous old houses situated precariously on the edge of the sea. They selected a restaurant and sat at a table for four near the banister, having dinner with Greek music saturating the air and strong waves hitting the building foundations.

"You will have to eat those tomatoes," Xabi reproached as noticing Steven, who attempted to be invisible for now, silently discarding red pieces of vegetable to the rim of his Greek salad plate. His attempt failed obviously.

"Xabi, you know I hate it," Steven growled, didn’t dare locking eyes with the Basque because he knew Xabi would still have many more facts of how good tomatoes are to health to lecture him.

"It could prevent cancer and heart disease," the Basque elucidated as expected. The Englishman snorted.

"As long as I have you, my heart is doing totally fine," Steven retorted audaciously, shoved a spoonful of lemon rice soup into his mouth and intentionally ignored the cancer point. Xabi gawked at him in shock while two voices: Fernando's and Daniel's, blurted out harmoniously in the background,

"Lame!!!"

 


	45. Act 6: Greek Islands (2/6)

They moved from Mykonos to another island down south in the Cyclades archipelago: Paros, two days later by catamaran. Accelerating across the Aegean Sea, the boat left white bubbles in its wake. Fernando’s in a polo shirt and broad shorts, watching white foam drifting away on the surface of sapphire water. Summer wind whipped his blond hair into a disheveled state. He was dragging a Dunhill fag when feeling two hands on his hips.

"I'm so bored in there, uncle Stevie was so lame towards Xabi all the time," Daniel murmured in the Spaniard's ear. Giggling, Fernando turned around and leaned against the railing.

"That's what I have to endure all day at work." He smirked. Daniel laughed.

"I don't know he could be this cheesy. I know he's a warmhearted funny guy and such, but he seems like the more serious type to me."

Fernando couldn't stop snickering. "When it comes to love, people can change, you know?" Then he leaned over and kissed Daniel affectionately on the lips.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I see that, kids," a familiar voice was uttered not far from them and Daniel almost jumped in surprise and shame. But Fernando held him still and kept on crushing their lips together. Eventually they gradually broke apart. Daniel heard the Spaniard's titter against his jaw line when he turned around and found Steven and Xabi with their arms resting on the balustrade just a mere metre away.

Steven turned to Xabi. "Fernando is also Spanish and he doesn't mind displaying affections in public. So Xabi, please emulate hi-ouch!" And he got a hard hit on his arm as a reward.

Fernando chortled and Daniel couldn't help a chipper smile when the Spaniard wrapped his arms around his waist and snuggled up against his shoulder, watching Steven and Xabi bantering like they were so much in love…,

Well, both couples, though.

***

They arrived at Paros in 45 minutes. The crowd eagerly disembarked when the boat anchored at Paros port. Steven walked ahead with Daniel so Xabi trailed after with the other Spaniard.

"What do you really feel for Daniel?" Xabi blurted out in Spanish in a stern voice.

"What?!" Fernando replied in the same language, a bit shock at the out-of-nowhere question.

"What do you think you’re playing with, kid? His uncle is your boss!" Xabi hissed in a low voice despite knowing that the other two guys couldn't understand their conversation, he hoped, if Steven hadn't clandestinely taken that Spanish course without imparting him.

"Look who's talking, you're messing with the boss himself!" Fernando snarled.

"I love Stevie. My feeling for him is real and not just playing around. Now tell me yours," Xabi declared blatantly. Fernando gawked at him foolishly, incredulously.

"Why are we having this conversation now?!" He growled again.

"Because I know you're not done with Sergio despite you guys’ frequent fights lately." His reply shut Fernando's mouth instantly. "You can’t have both of them at the same time, you know it. Does Daniel even know that you’re having another guy back in London?”

The young Spaniard was taken aback then averted his gaze to the floor. He’s penitent. “He knows,” the blonde's answer wasn't louder than a whisper of the wind.

“Oh, really? And does Sergio know that you’re cheating on him then?” Xabi didn’t stop. And this time Fernando snapped.

“Look, Daniel knows about this and he’s still not going away. Doesn’t that mean that we have quite a deal here? He can take it, isn’t that enough?!”

“Because he loves you so much that he’s blindly willing to do whatever you ask him to, stupid kids, both of you actually! Don’t you ever care how much he has been hurt? And you haven’t answered my question yet: does Sergio know?”

“I care for him, for Christ’s sake! And no, Sergio doesn’t know about this!” Fernando grumbled.

The older Spaniard’s countenance was like he had just beaten an opponent in a debate class. “Stevie doesn't know about this, too, mind you. What do you think he would do if he knows you're just playing his nephew?"

"I’m not playing him!" Fernando hissed.

"Then what is it? Do you love him?"

The blunt question sent Fernando gasp. He was struck dumb for a minute, then he lowered his voice. "I-I don't know,” he stuttered, lost for words. “It's-it’s just this feeling I've never felt before. It's different from what I feel for Sergio and I had already thought that was love. But then there's this with Dan and I-I don’t know what the damn thing it is! I’ll tell you what: I don't care what the fuck it's called!"

Xabi looked so blank. "What does it feel like then?" He asked faintly. Fernando inhaled deeply, then suddenly blurted out like he’d been sufferingly repressed them in his chest all along.

"With Sergio, it's fun. I like being around him, hearing his jokes and watching him bantering with others. It always makes me smile. He's a fun-loving character like me and we get along so well in everything. We always like the same color, same food, same place, we're so much alike.

“But we fight a lot lately, as you know. He's as impetuous as me, that's why it's not really quite a healthy relationship. We even hit each other sometimes when we're angry and jealous. But I think I still love him the way he is, because he's like my long-parted twin.

"But…Daniel is so different. Even when I punch him, hit him first, he'd never hit me back. For me, he's always calm, prudent, mature and gentle. With him, it's...it's like I feel warm every time he hugs me though the weather is so cold. He is a quiet type, not that talkative like Sergio, yet it's so weird that I don't feel uncomfortable when we sit in silence and don't say anything for a long time. I love desserts, but he hates them. When he orders coffee, it’ll be black, but I hate it so. He's always discreet while I'm so reckless. We're so different, like black and white, yet I don’t know why I feel like he could fulfill me."

The blonde took in a deep breath. “Deep down inside, I wish I could love them both and don’t want to lose any of them. I know I’m very selfish, you don’t have to tell me that. Sergio and I have been together for so long and he understands me the most because, as I’ve told you, we're so alike. I used to think that it's love between me and him. But if that's it, then what is the thing between me and Dan? Somehow I think it’s love, too, things that happen between us, but I’m really not sure, I’m not sure about anything anymore. That’s why I’m not ready to tell him the word yet. I’m afraid that if it really isn’t what we think it is, I’ll just hurt him again. I used to think I know what love is, but after I’ve met Daniel, it’s like he’s turned my former conviction upside down. Between the one who’s another me, and the one who’s the missing me...”

Fernando inhaled deeply, one more time. "Xabi, you tell me then, which one is love?"

Xabi was gawking at him incredulously. After listening to the whole unsolvable story, now he’s the one who lost for words. "You are such a fool!" He finally spat out, tightened the backpack on his shoulder and instantly walked straight to Steven who’s leading the way with Daniel, leaving the other Spaniard behind.

Fernando gaped at him in genuine disbelief.

"What the fuck?! You lured me to tell you everything and simply retorted with ‘You are such a fool.’?! How the fuck was that supposed to help me?!” The blonde yelled after the three upsettingly, didn’t care the throngs’ gaze from every direction looking at him like he’s insane.

“For Christ’s sake, damn you, Xabi!"

***

The sapphire blue water which was hitting and glazing his skin was warm from the blazing sun. The bay was vacated, as well as the beach. Paros was never a popular tourist attraction compared with Mykonos or Santorini, yet that’s its vantage point. It created pacific atmosphere with sights not so different from other Cyclades islands: white houses with blue window panes and other breathtaking spectacles.

And they were all to them only like the sea was to them now.

Fernando swam leisurely in the water. Daniel wasn’t far from him. Steven and Xabi were still in their room in the guesthouse and Daniel didn't feel like knowing what they're doing.

He swam slowly to Fernando who was now standing still in the sea, letting waves incessantly hit his bare white chest and lean shoulder. When Daniel's hand grabbed him from behind, it startled him a bit. The blonde spun around and, finding that it’s the Dane, smiled sweetly at him.

They didn't say anything. Fernando's arms clung to Daniel's neck and leaned in as well as drawing the other boy over until their lips crushed. He also slung his legs loosely around Daniel's waist, letting himself be carried by the Dane and the sea now.

The ambience was so tranquil. Daniel could hear only noises of seagulls talking to one another and fishermen's chatting from a village not far from here. When Fernando broke off, they panted. The Spaniard attached his forehead to the Dane, the tip of their noses brushed against each other. Daniel didn't really know what he’s doing when his hands slid down the Spaniard's hips and slowly pulled Fernando's shorts down. His eyes locked with the blonde's and Fernando just looked back at him unwaveringly.

Daniel took it as a permission.

He gradually eased Fernando’s board shorts down, freed the Spaniard’s already-hard cock from confinement. Suddenly the blond boy grabbed the Dane’s wrist. Daniel stopped short, thinking that Fernando would like him to stop or maybe someone was approaching, but instead, the Spaniard snickered while gently holding Daniel’s hand up, sticking his tongue out to gingerly yet beguilingly lick the Dane’s index and middle fingers. Then he claimed the ring finger, too, as taking them in the hot cave of his mouth.

Oh, my.

Fernando still locked gaze defiantly with Daniel while seductively sucking up his fingers. Merely the touch of the hot slick tongue on his skin and the sight of tempting Fernando tasting parts of his body could make Daniel hard already, he felt throttled and hyperventilated uncontrollably. Then Fernando slowly pulled his fingers out, the corner of his mouth twitched up into a mischievous yet coquettish smirk as gradually taking Daniel’s hand down to his crotch, his ass.

Damn, Daniel pursed his lips as the Spaniard pushed his fingers into himself, all three of them.

Fernando jerked a bit, and Daniel bit his lip as those heated walls clenched his fingers. He huffed, wasn’t sure whether it would be hurt having sex in the sea: salty water might be burning when it directly touched Fernando’s interior, hence Daniel decided he would move slowly, no matter how horny he is now.

But Fernando seemed to be fine after Daniel's three fingers had already eased in up to their hilts. Releasing the Dane’s wrist, he clung tighter to him and slightly panted while Daniel finger-fucked him. And when Daniel finally withdrew his digits and tenderly substituted with his swollen cock, Fernando rocked back instantly.

They moved steadily, not too fast and not too slow. Daniel’s hands were on Fernando’s hips, holding him still. Sunlight glazed the Spaniard's shoulder which were over the water surface and glistened his wet blond hair. Daniel felt for Fernando's lips, kissing him passionately.

The blonde pulled away, tilted his head up gasping for air. Sunlight glittered droplets of either sea water or sweat, Daniel wasn't sure, on his face. And he looked so sexy Daniel couldn't resist marking a purplish blemish by kissing and sucking the Spaniard's white impeccable neck.

He pounded into the Spaniard, accelerated soothingly while Fernando rocked back to him. When Daniel finally came inside him, it drew a muffled moan from the blonde's lips then he came into the sea, too.

They panted, gasping for air. Fernando still clutched the Dane. Daniel brushed those soaked locks of blond hair away from the Spaniard's forehead before pecking on his freckly cheek amorously.

Fernando giggled before resting his cheek on the Dane's shoulder, letting their breaths and heartbeats talk to each other under the Greek sky in the Aegean Sea.


	46. Act 6: Greek Islands (3/6)

They went to Naxos, the second largest island in the Cyclades, by catamaran.

The moon was full tonight and there would be a full moon party at Agios Prokopios Beach, their guesthouse staff told them so, and they decided they couldn't miss it. Fernando was so eager and Daniel couldn't help smiling every time he saw that endearing gleeful countenance on the Spaniard's gorgeous face, he looked like he’s fifteen years younger when he did that.

They played Jet Ski in the afternoon: all four of them. Throngs were quite sparse on Parthenos beach in front of their guesthouse and it’s too fun driving from one end of the shore to the other. Fernando drove so fast and instantly swerved his Jet Ski as getting close enough to the Dane's vehicle, sending water splash on Daniel soaking him all over. Halting not far away, the Spaniard snickered at his own exploit. Daniel bit his lower lip and chased him in return.

Laughing good-humoredly, the blonde accelerated his engine and sped away from the Dane. Chasing him around, the Dane heard Fernando's gleeful laughter and brag like "I'm too good at this," or "You're not gonna catch me," from time to time. And yes, the Dane couldn't catch him.

When they’re tired, they languidly swam around in the sea. Fernando lurched toward the Dane, draped himself around his torso and let Daniel carry him, his arms loosely slung around the Dane's neck. They joked, snickered, and Fernando stole his lips with an endearing peck. Daniel laughed good-naturedly.

Steven and Xabi swam closer and Fernando persuaded them to play piggyback war. He shifted to cling to the Dane's back, piggy-riding him. Xabi did the same to Steven and they fought like they were kids again. Fernando struggled to shove Xabi down into the sea. Steven swerved away, didn't let him easily beat his rider. They laughed so hard and when Fernando eventually fell from the Dane's back by Xabi's pull, they're all bruised and really exhausted so they decided to get out of the sea.

They went back to their rooms, lolling in deck chairs on the balcony of which facing the shore. Sea breeze whipped their hair. Fernando dragged his chair closer to the Dane's. Its side bumped into Daniel's chair and the blonde leaned across to the other, snuggling up to his neck as slinging his arm around the Dane's waist.

"I've never known you're this clingy, Fernando," Steven's voice came from the other room's balcony. Daniel turned around to find the Englishman looking at them in amusement.

"Leave me alone," Fernando mumbled, didn't even turn around to talk to his boss properly. Daniel shifted to place his arm around Fernando's shoulder, tugged him closer while the Spaniard nuzzled up deeper against him.

They slept like that for the rest of the afternoon.

***

The party was boisterous as a party should. Most of the partygoers were tourists from around Naxos Island. The moon was full, silver light glazed the golden beach and the dark sea. Music was so loud, boozes and weeds were everywhere. Agios Prokopios beach was lit by both torches and flashy neon lights along the shore which was so long until you'd think it ran up to the end of the world.

"I'll go buy new drinks." Daniel got up from the beach they’d been sitting on and chatting animatedly for half an hour now. He had finished his bottle of beer. "Anyone wants anything?"

"I’ll go with you." Fernando held the Dane’s hand who's now standing, using Daniel’s might to pull himself up from the ground.

They ambled to a bar, chatting and giggling lively. It was already midnight and the beach was packed. Grabbing two bottles of Mythos and two glasses of vodka-coke from the counter, they headed back in the direction they’d come from.

They’re jostling their way through packed crowd when suddenly a drunken guy bumped into Fernando, sending the blonde stagger in the other direction and bumping into another group of tourists like dominos. Vodka-coke spilled out leaving only a quarter of hazel liquid in both glasses. It soaked someone's shirt, which wasn't his.

“Fernando!” The Dane scooted to the Spaniard, eyes full of concerns. At that second there were so many things happening. He heard Fernando grunt in frustration, "Fuck!" at the same time someone shouted lividly, "You fuckass!"

"What the fuck're you doing?!" Suddenly Fernando’s neckline was grabbed by someone's hand, he staggered toward the puller like a feather hit by the wind. Daniel was stunned for a mere split-second, then he lunged forward.

“Don’t you touch him!” The Dane shoved the guy’s hand away from Fernando’s collar furiously so the guy turned to him instead. He also heard a commotion beside them and another infuriated voice shouting, maybe to the guy who had first bumped into Fernando, but didn’t turn around to check.

“Oh, yeah? Who are you to tell me what to do, fucker?!” And suddenly that guy seized Daniel’s collar instead, pulling him in sharply until their faces were mere a couple of inches apart. “Your sweetheart just splashed coke all over my honey. What’d you say about that, huh?!” The guy snarled directly into Daniel’s face, sickening alcohol-reeked breaths brushed disgustingly against his skin.

"John, it's okay. Don't do this, I'm okay." Another voice and Daniel saw the other guy's face beside the one who was grabbing him. He looked pallid and horrified.

"These winos hit you, Frank! And also splashed you with that goddamn stinky coke!" John shouted back, enraged.

"They didn't mean to." Frank tried to calm his boyfriend down. "That sot bumped into them first so they staggered towards us. It's not their fault, they didn’t mean to." But John didn't seem to listen. He sent his other hand to grab Daniel's neckline, too, and hissed,

"Give my boyfriend an apology right fucking now, you cunt."

Now, Daniel was angry for real. He shoved the guy named John with all his might, sending the other stumble backward and flop down onto the ground. Frank yelped.

"What the fuck with you?!" Daniel yelled, grabbed Fernando who’s standing dumbstruck beside him by the wrist. He spun around, about to jostle their ways out of here but instantly something grabbed him from behind, pulled him around and punched his face.

Daniel was shocked, Fernando yelped in fright. The Dane wobbled backward from the unforeseen attack and felt something bitter in the cave of his mouth, which was unmistakably blood: his blood. He grunted and before that same fist could hit him again, lunged forward and punched John in the face, too.

The fight after that was too devastating to discern.

***

Rambunctious noise from somewhere not far away instantly silenced everyone. Steven turned around, looking in the direction where there seemed to be a brawl.

"What's that?" The Englishman asked. Xabi quirked up his brow then suddenly stood up, slight panic in his eyes.

"Let's go and check."

"Xabi!" Steven shouted after him but the Spaniard had already stalked there in anxiety.

When Xabi arrived at the group of people gathering around the scene, the fight had already ended. He saw people fleeing, some were injured noticing from the way their friends assisting them away. Left behind were broken glasses and several guys lying unconsciously on the beach.

Throngs had already swarmed in to help those who were harmed, and Xabi recognized that one of them who’s now lying deadly still in a boy’s arms: Fernando’s arms to be precise, was Daniel.

The Basque felt chills run down his spine. Fuck!

"Daniel! Fernando!" He cried out and dashed toward the boys on the floor. Bruises could be seen all over Daniel’s face, but the thing was, his temple was bleeding severely and terrifyingly.

Crimson blood that was gushing ceaselessly out of that cut scared him to the bone, let alone what Fernando would feel now.

"Daniel!" Fernando whimpered to the Dane whom he’s holding against him in both arms. He didn’t seem to even notice that Xabi had arrived. The world beyond him and Daniel right over here on the ground was rampant yet blank and obscured at the same time. He couldn’t distinguish what’s happening around, what people were saying or doing, actually he didn’t care.

“Daniel!” The blonde spoke louder until it’s almost like a suppressed scream when there’s no response from the boy in his embrace: nothing at all, Daniel didn’t move or say anything. Fernando didn't know what to do, really didn't know what to do. He didn’t mean to think about it, but couldn’t help, just really couldn’t help…

If Daniel's not going to wake up again, how would he do without him?

"Danny, wake up." Fernando wept. He just realized he was crying. Daniel's blood soaked his shirt, it was ominously red and blurred when looking through the tear curtain in his eyes. He sobbed harder and clung to Daniel for dear life. When someone tried to pry his grip, he screamed like an insane self and desperately clasped him tighter, didn't let them take the Dane away.

"Fernando, stop! Fernando, I'll just bandage his head, okay? We need to stop his bleeding." It was Xabi's voice, Fernando eventually recognized that. The blonde finally looked up, his swollen tearful eyes locked with Xabi's resolute ones.

"Fernando, let go of him, just only for a minute, okay? I need to bandage his head and I can't do it if you keep holding him like this. It won't take long, dear," Xabi talked to him in Spanish, his voice soothing. Tears welled up in Fernando's eyes even more and he sniveled like a child but finally loosened his arms.

“He…he just tried to…protect me. Those English fuckers…, they hit…,” he couldn’t finish his sentence, it’s too difficult controlling the weeping. Once he tried to blubber a word, he sobbed even harder.

"Shhh. Hush baby. He's gonna be okay," Xabi murmured, his hands deftly cleaned the Dane's wound with a piece of cloth then folded his head with another. Fernando was sobbing against his shoulder, Xabi's shirt was soaked by the blonde’s tears and daubed with Daniel’s blood. "Stevie had already gone for help, don't worry." Finishing his makeshift bandage, the older Spaniard turned around and embraced the younger who was still crying a river, murmuring consolation which he himself even doubted whether it's a lie in Fernando’s ear.

"Everything's gonna be fine. Trust me, sweetie. Tomorrow Daniel will wake up and everything's gonna be the same."


	47. Act 6: Greek Islands (4/6)

Fernando couldn't stop crying. When the ambulance came and took them all to the nearest hospital - a small medical center, actually - since they were on an island with population only 20,000, the Spaniard was still sobbing but a bit calmer now.

Daniel was taken to an emergency room and they had to wait outside. Other injured had only bruises and small cuts, Daniel was the most severe one.

Fernando sat on a chair directly in front of the room, his eyes were swollen. He didn't drink or eat anything Steven bought him, just sat there silently, absorbed in his own thought. Half an hour passed but seemed like forever for Fernando, the door was finally opened and a gurney was rolled out. Daniel was lying on it, still unconscious but looked clean and had a proper bandage on his head.

They all jumped up simultaneously. The bed was rolled to a nearby vacant patient room.

"He needed stitches on his head but beside that he's fine," Doctor Kyrgiakos told them in a peculiar accent. "He's still unconscious but should be awake by tomorrow."

With that, Fernando burst out crying once again.

He sobbed so hard, not because of fear this time, but relief. Xabi gingerly placed his hand on his shoulder and Fernando turned around, dashed into the other Spaniard's arms and hugged him so tight. He cried on Xabi's shoulder.

Seeing that, Steven stepped closer, thinking about giving Xabi a hand on comforting Fernando but Xabi halted him. He looked at the Englishman, let his eyes tell the other that he could handle this alone.

"I told you, he'll be fine," Xabi whispered in Fernando's ear. He ruffled the other Spaniard's blond hair. "Stop crying, you crybaby. You’d already drenched my shirt."

Fernando snickered a bit between his weeping, then Xabi murmured, "And you told me you don't love him.”

The blonde was silent this time. Xabi ruffled his hair again. "Go in there and stay with Daniel, okay? Stevie and I will be at the lobby." He broke off their embrace. "And stop deceiving yourself, you know by your heart who's the one you love, Fernando."

***

When Daniel woke up the next morning, his head was throbbing achingly and all over his body was sore.

It was a bright day, seeing from the window. Daniel felt a bit dizzy when looking at the instant blazing scene with just-awaken eyes. He squinted before looking around, couldn't remember where he was. He didn't think it's his room in Copenhagen since that window was too large and the scene outside was definitely not somewhere near Scandinavia.

His eyes suddenly fell on a cluster of blond hair resting on the edge of his bed. The owner's hand was holding his but he seemed to be sleeping. Those hairs were glittering under sunlight breaking in through the window.

Daniel gingerly tugged the other boy’s hand. "Fernando."

The Spaniard immediately leapt up right in his seat, his beautiful brown eyes widened in surprise. And when it locked with Daniel's who seemed to be smiling at him in amusement, Fernando almost screamed,

"Daniel!"

He jumped up onto the bed, hugged Daniel with all his might which almost throttled him. "F-Fernando, easy. What's wrong, honey?" He choked, chuckling lightly but Fernando didn't let go of him this time.

"I-I'm so scared, I thought I've lost you," he blubbered against the Dane's shoulder where he's snuggling up and Daniel felt hot wet dab on his skin.

He suddenly froze.

"Fernando, why are you crying?" He asked uncertainly, didn't know what to do. The last time the Spaniard acted like this, he remembered so well - every fucking detail of it - what happened next.

"Because I'm glad that I don't have to live without you." His mumble was baffled but Daniel could make it out so clearly. Fernando shifted until he's lying next to the Dane and they budged further until they're half-reclining with heads against the headboard. All that time the blonde didn't let go of his arms around Daniel's waist and his face at the crevice of his neck.

"I'm fine now and not going anywhere," Daniel muttered back, felt his breath slightly hitch from his own words.

Another promise made, another proof of how far he’d given himself over to this and how far he would go.

Fernando might know by now that he might be as crazy as to willingly jump off the cliff for him if he wants him to.

"Does it hurt?" Fernando looked up, gingerly touched Daniel's temple and the Dane jerked away instantly from the contact. The blonde snatched his hand back immediately, his face was pallid.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

Daniel just noticed that his eyes were red and swollen so bad.

"How much had you cried?" Daniel whispered, a bit shocked. Fernando averted his eyes to the white blanket sheepishly.

"A Thames River," he mumbled back.

"It's just the cut on my head, isn't it? Or is there something more?" The Dane wasn't sure. He swept his eyes over his own torso and tried to move every part of his body as far as he could think of. It didn't seem like any part was missing.

"It's just that, and please don't get any more wounds." He nuzzled back up to Daniel's neck. "It already scared me to death," he said faintly.

"It's just a cut, Fernando. I was hit with a beer bottle, as far as I could remember. I'm not going to die because of that."

"But you didn't stop bleeding." Fernando's voice was shaking just thinking about last night again. "And you're unconscious. And despite Xabi's consolation, I found panic in his eyes, too, and that freaked me out even more," he whimpered, tightened his grip around the Dane's waist. Daniel tilted his head, resting his cheek on the Spaniard's forehead.

"Stop crying," he muttered when still hearing faint sobs from the blonde.

"No!" was what Fernando shot back. Daniel chuckled and that made his head throb with pain.

"Ouch," he faintly grumbled.

"Don't laugh." Fernando looked up again, concerns in his eyes. "And don't say anything," he added, acting serious.

Daniel smiled softly and leaned in. "I think I can kiss you then."

This time Fernando snickered and tenderly touched his lips with the Dane's.

***

That group of English tourists was arrested and penalized with the help of too many witnesses in culprit identification. Daniel got out of the medical center on that day but the doctor didn't recommend further travelling so they had to remain on Naxos a couple of days more. Daniel felt really frustrated that he wasn't allowed letting the stitches touched by water, which meant he couldn't get into the sea or a pool.

Which also meant he didn't have a damn thing to do on this not-so-little gem of the Cyclades except lolling in a deck chair and watching the others had fun.

And that bored him to death!

He was sleeping in a deck chair on the beach letting the sun kiss his torso when he felt movement about him. Daniel popped his eyes open and found Fernando messing around with a hat on his head.

When did he wear a hat?

"What are you doing?" Daniel asked but not budging, Fernando startled as realizing that the Dane had already woken up.

"Sorry if I woke you up," he mumbled but kept on adjusting the position of that hat on him.

"What's this?" He asked.

"My fedora." Fernando tried to suppress a smile. "The one you bought me in Paris."

"And why are you putting it on me?" He felt so good-humored now.

"Because it looks good on you and is a decent prop for my drawing." And he resumed his seat next to Daniel and the Dane just noticed a large paper pad in his lap.

"What drawing?" Daniel was a bit astonished seeing that there were already some pencil draws on that white sheet.

"I'm drawing a portrait," the Spaniard stated flatly like it's the most normal thing in the world. "Your portrait."

Daniel gaped in wonder. "I've never known you're good at drawing!"

"I'm not," Fernando said, looked up, pursing his lips and squinting an eye while holding the pencil out in front of him in an upright position like an artist does when measuring the scale. "I've never done this before." And he averted his gaze back to the pad, busily drawing the Dane's face.

Daniel shifted uncomfortably. "Don't move!" Fernando barked immediately. "Don't you know that you can't move while being a drawing model?!"

The Dane looked so dumbfounded. "No."

Fernando laughed. "Stay still, don't move," he ordered. "You can sleep if you wish, but I prefer you awake, so that I can draw your eyes and have someone to talk to." He scribbled something in the paper.

"Why are you doing this all of a sudden?" Daniel blurted out.

"Because I have nothing to do." He pouted and kept on drawing.

"Why don't you go swimming?" He glanced at the sea and found Steven and Xabi fooling around in shallow water near the beach.

"Nah, but you’re here," the Spaniard murmured. And that was when a light hit Daniel.

Fernando does this because of him.

"You don't have to do this for me." Daniel pursed his lips, feeling so incapacitated. "Just go enjoying the sea like others who aren't handicapped like me."

"No, honey." The blonde held his hand out to tap the end of his pencil on the tip of the Dane's nose, snickered. "I enjoy being with you more than anything else in the world."

 


	48. Act 6: Greek Islands (5/6)

Santorini was their last destination on this trip around Greek Islands, and the most spellbinding and anticipating one. Its surreal landscape of multicolored cliffs and one-of-a-kind charm of sloping ranges of bedazzling dwellings were so fantastic and stupendous they made them succumb in awe at first sight on their arrival. Despite having already seen this kind of scenery all along the trip, Santorini won them all. And even though they're already behind schedule, Steven still seemed so relaxed and kept things according to plan as much as possible. This might be the benefit traveling with your boss, plus your boss' nephew.

They lodged at Oia, the village at the northernmost tip of the island. It's the utmost popular town on Santorini which was no doubt bustling all the time. Its picturesque adorable architecture on volcanic cliffs was noted as unique and one of the foremost tourist sites in the Aegean Sea with priceless feature of Santorini's most famous attraction: the spot for magnificent spectacle of sunset, which was also labeled as one of the top ten most romantic sunset points in the world.

They did that the first day they arrived on the island. You'll have to go to the northernmost spot in the northernmost village on Santorini, which is Oia, to experience it. The edge of Oia was a steep volcanic cliff. White endearing incave houses with deep blue-colored roof adhered to the precipitous surface along the slant from the topmost of it down half of the cliff. From the scenic point up here, it was like looking down to a never-ending descending maze of white and blue mythical cottages of which inhabited some other imaginary creatures that weren’t humans.

They reserved a spot on pedestal steps to watch the sunset. The sky turned bright orange when the large coral disk started sinking into the reflective glass of the Aegean Sea. Yachts and other watercrafts could be seen as sparsely tiny dots on the rippled surface of which was mirroring the image of the sinking orange-shaded sun.

"And with this, you're here with me again." Fernando turned around to Daniel who's busily taking pictures of this spectacular scene from the step behind the Spaniard. The Dane lowered his camera and bent down to kiss Fernando on his neck.

"Of course, sunshine. I can't imagine how otherwise it could be," he replied.

***

They rented a tiny car and drove around the island, Steven drove, mind you. Those two naughty boys were shoved to sit in the back, and they literally had their own little world with whispers and laughter.

They dropped by small villages, secluded beach with red volcanic rock, and went to the other end of the island: the southernmost, to find a hidden place for watching sunset. The scene wasn’t as exotic as yesterday’s in Oia, but the atmosphere was so pacific and private like this privileged show was exclusively played for them alone. When dusk fell, they drove to Fira, the main town of Santorini, having dinner with light boozes afterwards at a restaurant on the edge of the orange-hued volcanic precipice, chatting all night and getting drunk as usual.

When the next morning dawned, the fact also dawned on Daniel that it's their last day. Their flight was at night and they didn't have any plan for today. The Dane would catch a plane back to London with everybody then fly from there to Copenhagen a couple of days later.

He got out of bed, where Fernando was still sleeping, sauntering towards a window and opening it wide welcoming the late-morning sea breeze. He was letting his mind drift away with enthralling scenery of blue and white tiny houses downward to the sea below when there was a sudden movement beside him.

He didn't hear Fernando approaching until that moment when the blonde jumped onto the window ledge, sitting there facing the Dane.

"Morning," he mumbled in drowsiness.

"Morning, sweetie." Daniel smiled back. He draped his arm around the Spaniard waist, snuggled up to his bare upper-arm. Fernando was only in boxers, his usual pajamas. The blonde gingerly placed his fingers on Daniel's stitches which had already started scabbing and looked a lot better now.

"Does it still hurt over here?" He asked in a low voice.

"A bit," Daniel murmured back and nibbled Fernando's arm. The blonde snickered.

"What are you doing?" He asked whisperingly, his breath hitched when Daniel's lips glided down to his flat stomach. Daniel's answer was only a soft "hmm," since he had already been preoccupied with something else.

Intentionally skipping the Spaniard’s crotch and thigh, the Dane placed his lips on the Spaniard's knee instead. He tenderly kissed Fernando's skin, gliding his lips up the blonde's inner-thigh and nibbling the flesh there along the line provokingly. It sent bizarre fluttering sensation to Fernando’s stomach and up his spine. The blonde shivered as Daniel’s hands caressed his hips infatuatedly.

Fernando gasped as the Dane's hot lips slipped closer to his groin, and suddenly jerked as Daniel's teeth bit his getting-hardened flesh under boxers teasingly. One of his legs instantly jolted into a knee-up position on the ledge. Daniel nibbled Fernando's cock and the blonde gasped, moaning,

"D...Daniel."

The Dane was busily stroking the Spaniard's erection over the fabric with his lips. Fernando arched, his head tilted back against the window pane, panting. His boxers were so confined yet at the same time aroused him even more with their restriction and wet rough sensations when they scraped his skin along with Daniel's mouth.

"Dan...I...," he huffed, his other leg instinctively clung tightly to Daniel's shoulder, tugging him closer while his hands were on the Dane's head, wrenching his hair impassionedly. Fernando squeezed his eyes shut and tried to steady himself. That was when Daniel placed his hands on the edge of the blonde's shorts and slowly slid the cotton fabric down. His both hands clenched the Spaniard's ass lustfully.

"Do you want me to fuck you in bed...," Daniel mumbled, nuzzling up to the blonde's crotch and nibbling his hilt stimulatingly which hitched the blonde’s breath immediately, "...or here?"

Fernando grunted, "Why do you still have to ask?!" And he grabbed the back of Daniel's neck, pulled him up and crushed their lips together passionately so.

***

They flew back to London that night.

From the airport, they got into town by the Gatwick Express and disembarked at London Victoria station. It's almost 10 p.m. when they arrived. Daniel would stay over at Steven's house in Kingston, the Spaniards would separate from them here.

They made their way to London Underground together, waited in line for a couple of minutes for Daniel to get his ticket since others already had Oyster Cards before going through automated ticket barriers. Fernando's hand was on the Dane's arm, he’s chatting lively as usual when suddenly there's a voice called out,

"Fernando."

Everybody turned around, and Daniel's body suddenly turned rigid and he felt freezing chills run down his spine as he recognized that a guy with long hair standing there with a couple of his friends was the one he once saw with Fernando at the pub in Islington that one night when he’s in London last time.

That was Sergio.

***

"S-Sergio," Fernando's voice was faint, he's in a state of shock. The blonde pulled his hand back from Daniel immediately.

But Sergio had noticed it already.

"Why are you here?" Sergio's voice was rigid. "You told me you're not coming back until the next three days."

"We changed plan," the blonde's voice was almost inaudible now.

"Oh, really? Why's that you changed plan so often?” Sergio looked intimidating. “You prolonged your trip from 13 to 18 days, and now you just advanced your return flight again. Is it that easy?" He didn't buy Fernando’s words just a bit. "And who's that?"

And he definitely didn't mean Steven or Xabi.

"My friends from work." Fernando's voice was calmer now.

Sergio laughed. "Seriously." Yet his voice was so contrasted, it's humorless. "Stop lying, bitch."

Daniel felt something inside him snap. THAT. WAS. ENOUGH.

"You don't have the right to talk to him like that," Daniel growled infuriatingly. Sergio turned to him, grimaced.

"And what rights do you think you have to talk to me like that?" He shot back defiantly. Then instantly he stepped up, grabbed Fernando by his wrist and yanked him forward unkindly. The surprised blonde stumbled in his direction. "We'll go now, so please excuse us."

"Don't you dare treating him like that!" Before anyone could forestall him, Daniel had darted forward and swatted Sergio's hand off Fernando's wrist. And Sergio instantaneously retaliated by shoving the Dane's shoulder, sending him stagger backward.

"Daniel!" He heard Fernando yelp and Sergio suddenly barked.

"Oh, yeah, you're so worried about him, huh?" He had the blonde's arm in his hand again and Daniel could see that Fernando's face was distorting in pain from the squeeze. Daniel grunted. He lunged forward again, gripped Sergio by his wrist on the same arm he’s grabbing Fernando, threatening,

"Let him go."

"Daniel, don't. Please." Fernando breathed in deeply. "Could you guys please stop?" He whispered.

"Look who's talking?" Sergio snarled, squeezed the other Spaniard's arm tighter sending Fernando yelp in pain.

"Sergio, I'm hurt," he whimpered. Steven who's standing watching the scene in silence for a long time budged in ire. He thought about interrupting but Xabi grabbed his arm.

"No, let them handle this themselves," Xabi hissed.

"Let go of him," Daniel growled intimidatingly, glaring into the other boy’s eyes menacingly, and that suddenly made the Dane stun. Despite his seemingly brutal harshness and fierce anger, behind Sergio’s fiery brown eyes, Daniel detected something familiar that he’d known so well.

Is that pain?

Daniel’s grip on Sergio’s wrist loosened up a bit automatically although he knew too well that that glint of pain wasn’t because of the forceful seize. At the same time, Sergio grimaced devilishly.

"Didn't you hear what ‘my boyfriend’ had just said? 'Daniel, don't, please.'?" He smirked triumphantly. "So, back off, don't you think so?"

That sentence hit Daniel straight in the face and he’s suddenly lost for words. Fernando shut his eyes like trying to steady himself. The Dane slowly released Sergio's arm this time.

"That's right," Sergio sneered and the Dane could detect relief in his acrid voice once again. "Good for you that you still remember that I’m his real boyfriend and you're merely his boy toy and mean nothing more."

***

Daniel kept being quiet all the way when they took the tube back to Steven's house. Others didn't say anything either. Xabi decided to come with them though his house was definitely in the opposite direction.

When they finally arrived at Steven's abode in London Borough of Kingston, the Dane announced, "I'll go back to Copenhagen tomorrow," in a resolute voice and an unreadable expression.


	49. Act 6: Greek Islands (6/6)

"I'll definitely kill Fernando for this," Steven grumbled, infuriated. He's in his room, edgy. Xabi’s sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Fernando was reluctant to go, too," Xabi murmured.

"Xabi, that's totally not the point!" The Englishman snarled then stopped short in the middle of his paces. "Do you know that Fernando already has a boyfriend?"

Oh, fuck you for this, Fernando!

"Umm, not quite." Xabi shifted unsettledly. Steven's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You know it!" He yelled. "You know it and you still let Fernando do this to Daniel!"

Xabi gaped. "But Daniel knows it himself!" He lowered his voice. "And we did talk about this, I mean Fernando and I."

"And? What did he say?" Steven tried to calm down. He sat on the bed, staring at the Spaniard. Xabi swallowed hard.

"They love each other, don't you see?"

"Xabi, that's not my question."

Xabi sighed. "Sergio and Fernando had known each other for a long time, they’re friends from college. Fernando thought he's in love with Sergio, until he found Daniel." The Spaniard paused. "He and Sergio like each other a lot, but the thing between them isn’t love. The thing between him and Daniel, that's the real thing."

Steven raised his brow. "How do you know?"

"Their actions speak for themselves, Stevie. And I have well-trained eyes." He sighed again. "Just give Fernando some time, yeah? I think he had learned quite a lot of things from the trip."

Steven grimaced. "I don't think my nephew thinks the same."

***

Fernando came in the early morning before anyone had actually woken up. Steven's the one who got the door.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was rigid and cold.

"He and I need to talk." Fernando pursed his lips, didn't look Steven in the eyes.

"I don't think he wants to talk to you." The Englishman was about to close the door.

"Stevie, please." Fernando held the door with both his hand and foot. "You know we can't leave it like this."

"Do you realize what you had just done?" Steven asked, still aloof. Fernando pursed his lips tighter and nodded.

"That's why I have to fix it," he mumbled.

"And do you know what you're doing then?" The Englishman's voice was still inimical. Fernando stiffened.

"I..."

"What will you say to him?" Steven cornered him.

Fernando stared at the floor, biting down his lip. Steven sighed. "Don't you think the next time you talk to him, you'll need a resolute answer on tap?" And when Fernando didn't answer, the Englishman grimaced. "I'll see you at the office." And he was about to shut the door.

"Wait."

Steven turned around and Fernando's heart raced faster. Daniel appeared on top of the stairs and descended. "Thanks, uncle Stevie, but I'll handle it from now on."

Steven smiled wryly, left the door open and paced up the stairs. Passing Daniel in the middle of the staircase, the Englishman ruffled the Dane's dark hair and walked past him in silence.

They're left alone in the foyer. Daniel reached the ground floor while Fernando got in and closed the door behind him uncertainly.

"Tell me what you have to say," Daniel's voice was as standoffish as Steven's. "Because I have something to say, too."

Fernando was pallid. "I...just...want to apologize for last night," he mumbled, gazing at the floor.

"Is that it?" Daniel's arms were crossed over his chest, he looked so disinterested. Fernando pursed his lips.

"Daniel, I'm so sorry, I-"

"If that's all you've got, why don't you listen to me?" Daniel cut him off. "Since we don't have much time, my flight is at 11 o'clock."

Fernando looked paler, if that's possible.

"Dan, please don't do this to me," he whispered.

"What did I do to you?" Daniel shot back, his dispassionate voice belied irony. "You know what? At first I thought I could live like this. Even though realizing in the deepest pit of my heart that you've someone else, Sergio to be precise, I used to delude myself that as long as his and my territory don't overlapped, we can both fairly live in the same heart, your heart, sharing you. Everything will be fine.

"But then I realized that fairness I’ve thought all along was so absurd and unrealistic. It can't be. How could that be 'fair' since Sergio's there first and used to have those spaces all to him alone? How could that be fair when he has no clue that he's sharing you with another guy? And how hurt he might be, caught you with somebody else? I think I understand his feelings, who would want to share their lover with others?" Daniel paused, inhaled deeply, his next sentences were so faint yet resolute and real, "Fernando..., we can't live like this, it's wrong. It's already been wrong from the start and will be wrong forever. You can't have me and him at the same time. You need to choose."

The Spaniard took in a deep breath. "Won't you give it a try?" His voice was shaking and the answer didn’t make anything better.

"Is that all you could say?!” Daniel was furious this time. “Don't you care just a bit that Sergio loves you and how hurt he is, knowing you're cheating on him?!"

"And don't you love me?" Fernando shot back with a real desperate question in a trembling voice. It truly took Daniel by surprise, he bit his lips, shut his eyes and sighed.

"You know what I feel for you. Seriously, I’ve even thought that it doesn’t matter whether you’d love me back, I’m happy simply being with you, loving you one-sided, and having you in my arms once in a while. But when I saw Sergio’s eyes last night, I’ve just realized, quite really too late, that what I’ve been doing - what we’ve been doing - is so evil, cruel, abominable, it’s so freaking wrong. We can’t do this to Sergio anymore, he’s innocent, for Christ’s sake! If you don't care for me, at least please care for Sergio. And I don’t need to answer your question, right? Because I've already told you so many times and given you too many chances already. And this time if it's not working again,” he took in a deep breath, “we might never really mean to be."

Fernando started crying noiselessly, but Daniel couldn't take this anymore.

"Remember that time in Saint-Tropez, when you asked me to promise that I would never let you go? I didn't answer your question because I already did it once and I know I can do it again." He paused, swallowed a lump down his throat and announced in a parched voice, "I love you so much that I can let you go."

But then Fernando retaliated with a parallel axiom. He pulled his tearful brown eyes off the floor and locked with the Dane’s. They were so obstinate that took Daniel aback by simply looking at them. He blubbered, **"But I love you too fucking much…,"** his voice was whispering and shaking intensely from the weeping which he still couldn’t stop, yet so convulsively determinant and eerily sincere that it stabbed Daniel in the middle of his heart and thrashed all morals he had in his conscience into shattered bits, once again,

**"…that I can’t let you go."**


	50. Act 7: Scandinavia (Chapter 1/5)

"Take a look around on both sides, you can see that we’re sailing through a long, narrow inlet with steep cliffs. This estuary is formed when glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by eroding surrounding bedrock, which we simply called as ‘fjord’. And on my left, that’s the trickling melting glacier we’re talking about."

The tour guide's voice was conveyed through a microphone to the numb-freezing air of the Baltic Sea. Their cruise was sailing along Norwegian rugged coastline, through the islands of Vesteralen and Lofoten, called the narrow Raftsund: the detour into the famous Trollfjord, the 2 kilometres long sidearm with a narrow entrance and steep-sided mountains of which was breathtakingly wild and desolate. Embracing them, greenery ridges full of spring lives flanked the cold and crystal-clear Norwegian arctic water that their ship’s drifting by.

The early morning draft was chill-to-the-bone it sent Fernando shake uncontrollably. He tugged the winter-wool hat tighter and hugged himself desperately.

Two arms wrapped around his body on top of his own arms. "We should get inside before you catch a cold," Daniel whispered in the blonde's ear in concern.

"No," Fernando answered though his voice was shaking considerably. "I wanna see it."

"You'll see loads of them from this point onward, this is just the beginning." Daniel kissed the Spaniard's nape amorously. It's only their third day on this cruise and they still have six more days to go. "It's too cold today especially in the early morning. You can wait until it's warmer in the midday, that time the melting glacier will glitter under sunlight and it will be even prettier," he tried to convince the blonde, though he knew better than anyone else that Fernando was extremely obstinate.

"I wanna see this one."

Yeah, right. Why did he waste time inducing the Spaniard again? He'd never won an argument with Fernando.

Never.

"Okay," he surrendered at last. Fernando snickered, turning around.

"Thanks for worrying about me." He pinched the Dane's nose teasingly. Daniel smiled softly and leaned in until their noses brushed against each other.

"You're welcome."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you cheesy couple." They turned around. Fernando's still giggling as they saw Nicklas and Robin approaching.

"Like you guys aren't," Daniel retorted and noticed Robin's cheeks flush a bit.

"We're not," Robin murmured coyly.

"Do you want us to be like them?" Nicklas teased. When Robin didn't answer, he leaned in and stole the Dutch's cheek with his lips. Robin almost jumped, flushed red.

"Nick!" He exclaimed.

Nicklas guffawed, Daniel and Fernando snickered good-humoredly. Their ship drifted past another melting glacier and when the scene started to be repetitive with boundless verdant cliffs on both sides of the fjord, they got back inside their cabins.

***

It's June. At this time last year they're in Monte Carlo. Daniel climbed back onto the bed in their cabin. It's still so early and he's thinking about a couple of hours more of sleep.

"Dan," a voice whispered in his ear then Daniel felt a soft wet kiss on it. He half-opened his eyes.

"What's up, sweetie?" He asked faintly.

"Don't sleep yet," Fernando murmured, biting Daniel's earlobe playfully before shifting to lie on top of the Dane.

Daniel chuckled, placed his hands on the Spaniard's hips and caressed them fondly. "What do you want to do?" He teased.

"Be with me," Fernando whispered then kissed him affectionately.

They stripped each other's clothes off and Daniel forced the other boy's hips down on his cock. Fernando panted against the Dane's chest which was heaving hard as well, then he rocked, Daniel's hands on his hips also took part in the rhythm control.

Daniel rolled them over in bed, Fernando was beneath him now. He kissed the Spaniard while they made love in silence, too silent that Daniel's getting uncomfortable in the quietness. "Why don't you moan?" He hissed in Fernando's ear and the blonde instantly jerked and huffed as Daniel deliberately hit his prostrate.

"I-ah!" The Spaniard definitely couldn't resist this time, he writhed and the Dane grinned smugly while intentionally pounded on that spot again and again. The blonde screamed aloud, his muscle around Daniel's cock twitched and clenched until Daniel had to slow down otherwise he'd definitely come right there and then.

That seemed to dissatisfy Fernando considerably, he grunted, yanked Daniel down by his nape and crushed their lips together. Daniel huffed and was the one who moaned when Fernando slid his hand down the Dane's buttock, urging and pulling Daniel deeper into him. The Dane squeezed his eyes shut, he knew he wouldn't last long. And just precise after that thought, he heard himself growl when he climaxed inside Fernando for the nth time.

They lay there, panting. Then Fernando rolled them over once again to sit on top of the Dane. And when the Dane looked at the blonde as he got up from his cock, in between his parted thighs, Daniel’s turbid cum trickled down from Fernando's ass.

My. That's so God. Damn. Sexy!

Daniel clasped the Spaniard’s hips and instantly shoved him down on the bed. Fernando was bewildered.

“Wha-?!”

He suddenly got an answer when Daniel’s lips nibbled up his parted thighs, licking and eating away his own cum. Fernando gasped and jerked when the Dane’s teeth playfully bit his soft skin over there. Daniel snickered at the Spaniard’s reaction yet kept on cleaning the other boy until he finally reached the pucker of his ass. The Dane pushed his hot tongue into the entrance, intended to cleanse up all traces of his orgasm.

“D-Dan,” Fernando stuttered, was aroused again, his hands wrenched the sheets. Daniel licked him off until there’s nothing left. The blonde felt like he’s thoroughly clean, except for his own cum which was still all over his stomach and was dry by now. And, yes, after that procedure, he’s completely turned on.

So when Daniel pulled away from his ass, Fernando instantly pulled himself up and crushed their lips together again. The taste of semen glossed all over the Dane’s lips and the blonde sucked and savored the flavor, too. Daniel chuckled, shifted to align the tip of his cock to the Spaniard’s entrance one more time and Fernando realized that Daniel was fully hard, too.

“Should we do it all over again?” Daniel whispered against the Spaniard’s lips. Fernando bit down his lower lip alluringly then answered with a pull on the Dane’s buttock, commanding him to thrust in.

***

"Are you guys okay?"

Nicklas asked in Danish, he's looking at Fernando who's skimming the buffet tables joyfully with Robin. They chatted and giggled lively while selecting diets.

"Of course." Daniel frowned. "Why do you ask?"

"I dunno." Nicklas poked at a piece of meat with his fork then gingerly put it in his mouth. "How long have you guys been together up 'til now?"

"Almost three years," Daniel murmured. "But you have to deduct that gap between London and Monte Carlo, that's a year and three months."

"Sorry I have to ask you this, but...is he still with his boyfriend in London?" Nicklas’ voice was uncertain.

"I guess yes," Daniel answered dispassionately.

"Daniel, how can you take it this long?" Nicklas hissed.

"I actually don't know," Daniel replied in an inanimate voice. "When we broke up that time in London, he's the one who told me we should stop this thing, and I conceded. But when we encountered again in Monte Carlo, you're the one who told me that he came back to me because he's a possessive bitch and just wanted to win over Steve." Daniel paused.

"And?" Nicklas urged him unsurely.

"And there's that time when we came back from Greece," Daniel continued. "That time I thought I had had enough, I couldn't take it anymore." He took in a deep breath. "But when I looked into his eyes while hearing his shaking voice pleading me, it just broke my heart."

"When?" Nicklas was confounded. "You didn't tell me about that."

"Last year, when I went to Greece with uncle Stevie in September. I’ve told you about that."

"Yes, but not what happened after!" Nicklas was indignant. "Why didn’t you tell me about it?!"

"And why do you need to know everything?!" Daniel retorted.

"Because I'm your best mate forever!" He glanced at Fernando and his boyfriend who're still sauntering around the dining room. "Now tell me what happened," he coerced.

"Nothing big." Daniel still looked disinterested. "I told him I had had enough and would get out of his life, but he won't let me."

Nicklas almost choked on his beverage. "Seriously?" He looked bewildered. "But at first he's the one who told you to get out of his life."

"Yes, and that time he cried like his mother had just passed away." Daniel sipped his beer. "I mean, why does it matter who's the one saying it? We both know that no one wants this to end, yet sometimes it's inevitable."

"Sometimes?" Nicklas snickered. "And the second time you fought, what did he say to you?"

"I told him I could let him go once, and I loved him more than enough to let him go again," he mumbled. "But he said he loved me too much that he couldn't let me go."

"Wow." Nicklas was nonplussed. "Those were quite two opposite school of thoughts." He's impressed. "And that sounds so much like him."

"Yes, it is." Daniel smirked wryly.

"And what's your reply?" Nicklas asked.

"What the fuck could I say?" Daniel grunted this time. "So I hugged him, soothed him and told him to stop being a crybaby because I would stay until the day he stopped loving me."


	51. Act 7: Scandinavia (Chapter 2/5)

It’s the fourth day of their nine-day Norwegian coastal voyage trip, setting off from Kirkenes, Norway. The route would take them from Kirkenes up to the world’s northernmost town, Hammerfest, and then down to Oslo, exploring Norwegian rugged coastline along the way. They would live most of their journey on the ship, except for some nights which would be spent at charming tiny fisherman villages or endearing small towns along the shoreline.

Now they're approximately outside the shore of Steigen, which was a part of Salten traditional region. It's almost midnight and the weather was minus 20 degrees Celsius but everybody was out on the deck, staring astonishingly at the cloudless arctic night sky.

Northern lights were illuminating in fantastic luminous green with the tinge of blue and pink pigments, dancing spellbindingly to the beholders' eyes in the vacancy of space above the Baltic Sea.

"I…,” Fernando clutched the railing, staring at the breathtaking spectacle hypnotizedly. “…don't think I've ever seen anything as beautiful as this before," he whispered like confiding some secrets in the arctic wind. Daniel who’s standing behind him snickered.

"I've seen one."

"Hmm? What's it?" Fernando turned around curiously.

Daniel chuckled as nuzzling up against the Spaniard's cheek. "Would it be so lame if I said it was 'you'?"

Fernando's smirk answered it. "Much!" Shouting good-humoredly, he hit Daniel on the arm as a penalty to the cheesiness. The Dane laughed then shifted to photograph the sky. The blonde hugged him from behind. "Why do you love taking photos?" His chin’s on the Dane's shoulder.

"I love capturing moments," Daniel replied as busily taking shots of the scintillating mythical Northern lights. "Haven't you heard, 'Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.'?"

Fernando guffawed. "Can I add one more line to that?"

Daniel chuckled. "What is it, baby?"

"Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time, and treasure nothing but Fernando Torres. Because, honey, ‘my love...," he snickered, feeling abashed to say the cheeky cheesy line out loud, too, but still, "...is your souvenir’.

***

They stopped by Bodø, located just north of the Arctic Circle of which was the second largest city in North Norway behind Tromsø, on the next day. The schedule was to stretch legs on the land after more than 24 hours abroad the ship since the last time they anchored.

It was a sunny afternoon despite chilly weather. They ambled from the port to city centre, taking photographs and shopping along the way. Fernando’s and Daniel’s hands were glued together, the Spaniard dragged the other along a pedestrian walk, stopping here and there to point through shops’ window, commenting on things and giggling happily. They ran across Nicklas and Robin from whom they’d separated since disembarking the ship at a street corner, so they sauntered around the town together after that. When they got back to their cabin after at-will dinner in town, Fernando started,

"Dan, do you want to do facial masking?"

"What?!" Daniel was dumbstruck, his hand stopped mid-way to the cloth rack where his towel was hung.

"Facial masking." Fernando fumbled in a paper bag for something he bought from the town. "It is mud from…somewhere around here, local manufacture. They said that it's a bestseller in the region. Let's try on your face whether it’s nice."

"Any reason why my face, exactly?!" Daniel was still dumbfounded when the Spaniard dragged him to the bathroom, snatching a towel with him.

"Because your skin looks like enrichment would be nice." Fernando grinned. They stood at the basin and he turned on the tap. "Wash your face, honey," he ordered.

Despite his reluctance, Daniel didn't disobey. After the cleansing, Fernando pulled him to their bed, sat him down before dragging a small chair from somewhere and placing it in front of the Dane. He unscrewed the jar lid of that suspicious mud.

"Close your eyes," he whispered.

Daniel did.

He felt a very-cold sensation on his skin and almost jerked. Fernando snickered, told him to stay still and do not open his eyes. Daniel tried to sit stone-still and the Spaniard seemed so enjoyed.

"I've never tried this thing before, but Robin said it would freshen and revitalize your skin," he chatted while applying the dark-brown clay on Daniel's face.

"You've never tried this?!" Daniel yelled, he thought he completely understood guinea pig’s feeling now.

"Shh! Don't speak! Don't move any muscle of your face," Fernando ordered. "You'll need to stay very still until the mask dry. We’ll leave it on your face for half an hour."

So Daniel sat in silence as best as he could. Fernando kept on blabbering about things: the shopping today, the cruise up until now as well as the next visiting sites.

"Daniel, I have something to tell you." Daniel could only hear that voice since he's closing his eyes.

"Spit it out," he murmured good-naturedly, trying to move the muscle around his mouth as least as possible. Although feeling a bit taut, the clays on his face granted him chilly sensation which somehow felt tickly good.

"I know this is real late and I’ve already hurt you so bad after all this time until you should just hate me already. But I’ll tell you anyway.” He breathed in deeply. “I...already broke up with Sergio."

Daniel instantaneously sprang his eyes open and this time Fernando didn't scold him. He kept on applying clays on the Dane's face.

"What?" The voice Daniel heard slip out of his mouth was so dry.

"It's true what you've just heard," the Spaniard replied softly, fingers gliding tenderly across Daniel's face.

"When?" Daniel felt like he could speak only one word at a time.

Is this real life? He mean, could this actually happen? Fernando. Broke up with Sergio?

Maybe he’s dreaming again.

"Last month," Fernando answered faintly.

Daniel felt his heart racing like crazy now. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened. I just broke up with him, ending our six-year relationship. You don’t need to know the details, though. We had a talk, and both agreed that we should just separate." The blonde finished with the facial masking and instantly stood up. "Okay, leave it like this for half an hour. I'll go wash my hand first." He's about to turn away.

“That’s it? Is it that simple?” But Daniel didn't let him. Grabbing Fernando's wrist, he pulled him back.

The Spaniard turned, giggling. “Yes, it’s that simple. Well, maybe not that simple. It was a long talk, and fight, though. But just trust me that it’s over," his voice trailed off, he looked so reluctant to talk about his ex to the Dane. “You look so funny under the clay," he intentionally changed the subject.

"It's your doing!" Daniel grunted. Though feeling like a clown, he now took no joke. "Why?" Daniel asked.

“I’d better go and wash my hand,” the Spaniard cut short.

“Why?” Daniel cut him off immediately, too, reiterated the question like it’s the most important thing in the world.

Fernando sighed but still teasing. "Why so serious?" Sitting back on the chair, he glided fingers across Daniel's lips where the skin was void of mud and leaned closer.

“Because he asked me the same question you’d asked me before, ‘who will you choose?’…,” the Spaniard whispered before kissing the Dane gently on the lips. "…And I told him I chose you."


	52. Act 7: Scandinavia (Chapter 3/5)

They just dropped by Bergen, the second largest city in Norway, the unofficial capital of Western Norway and sometimes also referred to as the Atlantic coast capital of Norway.

It's their sixth day on the voyage.

"Hah! Did you see that?!" Fernando shouted, a navy-blue-and-white-striped billiard ball with number 12 on was potted into a pocket. Dashing to Daniel who's standing with a cue in hand not far away, he ran into the Dane so hard it almost tripped them both onto the floor.

"Whoa! Easy, babe." Daniel laughed, wrapping his arms around Fernando while the other boy snickered.

"Don't be so chipper, you guys aren’t winning yet." Nicklas gritted his teeth.

"Nuh, nuh, we’ve already pocketed three of our object balls while you guys still have six left on the table," Fernando chirped good-humoredly. "Just wanna tell you beforehand: we want a bottle of Stoli Elit." He chortled and nuzzled up against Daniel's neck enamouredly.

"Oh, stop being cheesy to each other and get the game going!" Nicklas growled and Robin giggled despite their impending losing position. Daniel laughed and broke away from the Spaniard.

"Okay, I'll get the yellow." He sipped his bottle of Hansa which was placed on the corner of the pool table before putting his cue on the bridge, targeting at the yellow-and-white-striped ball. He hit the white cue ball sending it hit the yellow, potted it in a pocket, one more.

"I’ve told you my Danny is the best!" Fernando shouted and jumped on Daniel’s back. He clung to the Dane's torso, piggy-riding him and pecking him on the cheek lovingly.

"Fernando, you're drunk, aren't you?" Daniel chuckled while the blonde let go of him, stumbling on his feet until Daniel had to hold his waist with his arm, afraid of his tumble.

"Your boyfriend is a bottle-blower." Nicklas giggled.

"And this bottle-blower will knock you out in this pool game. He's quite a genius when he's drunk," Daniel responded while Fernando chortled like a mad person in the Dane's arms.

"Fuck you both." Nicklas grinned devilishly.

They continued with the game. Fernando did pot a green-striped ball in his insobriety that even Robin applauded. But when he failed with the brown-striped ball and even sent the cue ball pocketed, Daniel didn't let him play anymore.

It was even worse when Daniel threw him out of the game. Fernando sat on the edge of the pool table, legs dangling merrily and a bottle of beer in hand. It's Nicklas and Robin's turn with solid balls, which they successfully pocketed one and failed at the second. The reason Nicklas gave for his failure was...,

"Goddamnit, you two! Get a room!" He threw his cue annoyingly onto the baized table, grunted and turned away from the sight of Fernando wrapping his arms around Daniel's waist, tugging him close and nibbling his earlobe down to his neck. Daniel's struggling to compose, but it seemed to be a failure, too. His face betrayed that his attention wasn’t to the pool game anymore.

"Did I make you lose your focus?" Fernando asked innocently.

"Not only me," Nicklas grumbled and the Spaniard snickered, he whispered in Daniel's ear.

"Your turn, honey. Don't you let me down, I've already imagined that bottle of Stoli Elit in my arms."

Daniel laughed and resumed his pose over the table, trying to avert his attention back to the game.

The blue-striped ball was pocketed and Fernando pecked Daniel on the cheek as a reward. The brown-striped ball was potted the next minute and Fernando, who’s so tipsy, kissed the Dane on the corner of his mouth. And when the 8 ball was actually taken by Daniel precisely in the pocket he designated, which meant they won the bet, the blonde exultantly laughed in triumphant delight and clasped his arms around Daniel's neck, pulled him down into a deep kiss on the lips, in front of everyone.

When they broke apart, with flushed cheeks in Daniel's case, they heard Nicklas snort out loud. "You guys are so showy! I'm getting real jealous!" While Robin was astonished,

"Damn. Despite three years, you two look so in love."

Daniel smiled softly, didn't know what to reply. But Fernando's arms around him tightened and he heard a voice not far from his ear answered resolutely despite the speaker's tipsiness with an intention not only to affirm Robin and Nicklas, but also Daniel,

"That's because we're in love."

***

They arrived at Oslo, the capital city of Norway on the 8th day of the trip. They'd spend another day in Norway then go on to Denmark, of which their group would drop off.

Fernando's chin was on Daniel's chest, fingers gliding absentmindedly across the Dane's bare upper body and arms. Daniel was so blissfully happy. After all those three years, finally Fernando belonged to him, entirely, for the first time.

He’d never thought this day would actually come. It’s like he’s still dreaming, which he indisputably frequently dreamt of this kind of illusion in the past two years. Actually, Fernando had already fooled him for so many times he wasn’t even sure he could really trust what the Spaniard had told him four days ago.

But he knew he just wanted to badly and blindly believe it more than anything else. If the Spaniard just fooled him again, let it be.

"Will you stay over at my place?" Daniel's blurt took the Spaniard by surprise, he’d never thought about this before.

"Are you...living alone?" Fernando looked uncertain as asking him back.

"Yes, of course, who else would I be living with?" Daniel laughed, gliding his hands across the Spaniard's back and sides. "It's an apartment in suburb Copenhagen. If you don't mind-"

"Of course, I don't mind." Fernando's cheeks flushed a bit, he seemed lost for words. "Do you...mind then? I mean, it's not that we'd actually been to each other's place before..."

"Of course I won't mind," Daniel cut him off, felt a bit offended, he knew they’d been fucking around Europe for the most part of their so-called relationship but why would Fernando have to make a fuss over just Daniel simply inviting him to stay over at his own home? "And if it'd make you feel more relaxed; you're not the first guy that I’ve brought home."

And with that Fernando looked instantaneously indignant. "Okay," he grunted, bit down his lower lip and beat Daniel on his upper-arm so hard.

"What?" Daniel looked so nonplussed. "I simply made a point."

"Yeah, absolutely." Fernando gritted his teeth. "How many guys have you brought home then?"

Okay, now the possessive-bitch mode was on. "Err, I don't know," Daniel said uncertainly, and that's definitely a big mistake.

"Daniel Agger!" Fernando almost screamed, the Dane’s arm was hit again.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Maybe about five or six, I'm not sure."

"Five or six!" He screeched, and Daniel realized a bit too late that an answer like that wouldn’t make anything better. "How many guys have you fucked?!"

"Oh, fucking hell, Fernando! Why are we having this conversation?! For Christ's sake, how could I remember?!"

Fernando shut his mouth this time. He pursed his lips and dropped his head back onto the Dane's chest, hot cheek rested on Daniel's bare skin. But when Daniel thought they had already ended that stupid conversation, he was wrong.

"You're not gonna have others either boys or girls in your life again, Daniel Agger," Fernando murmured in a rigid voice. "Because I'll be your last, and yes I'll stay over at your place in Copenhagen!"


	53. Act 7: Scandinavia (Chapter 4/5)

When the ship anchored at Copenhagen, they disembarked.

"Fernando, don't be so shocked when you get into Daniel's room." Nicklas snickered. "Because I was when I went there a couple of months ago."

"Why? What's wrong with Daniel's room?" Fernando’s confused. He looked at Nicklas then glanced at Daniel.

"Nothing's wrong with it." Nicklas couldn't stop snickering. "It's just that I've never thought he would be this-"

"Enough, Nick," Daniel cut him off, his voice was disinterested. He’d already got a cab. "We'll go back to my house."

"How long will you be staying here?" Robin asked the Spaniard.

"Just one night actually. I'll fly back to London tomorrow's night," he murmured, then turned to Nicklas again. "You haven't told me yet what's with Danny's room."

"Nick!" Daniel's voice sounded so intimidating it made Nicklas snap his mouth shut instantly. Fernando turned to glower at Daniel but the other pretended to be oblivious. Nicklas smiled wryly.

"You'll see it yourself when you arrive there," he guaranteed.

They separated, Nicklas took another cab with Robin to his own place while Fernando went with Daniel. The Spaniard kept nagging Daniel all the way on the cab about his room but the Dane kept dismissing it.

The scenery on both sides of the cab’s window was getting elegant, dear sparse residences lined up along the road, the closer they got to Daniel's place, the bigger and larger lodgings became. It was suburb Copenhagen, high-income individual residential area.

The cab parked in front of a large gate with a very massive building inside. It made Fernando's jaw drop and he totally forgot about Daniel's room thing.

"Are you sure this is your house?" Fernando hissed.

"Not the whole building, baby, just an apartment in there." Daniel laughed, opened the door, disembarked the car and helped the driver get their stuff off the trunk. Having paid the chauffeur, Daniel strode to the gate, greeted the guard who obviously recognized him and let them in without any question.

It was enormous, that apartment building, and decorated with an exquisite renaissance style. Fernando was quiet most of the time. They got into the edifice and Daniel led them past another security point where a watchman was sitting to the main door. The Dane tapped the keycard to the digital screen, it's unlocked and then they’re through.

They strode across the rococo-style embellished lobby to elevators on the other end of the hall. Daniel punched the up button then waited in silence.

Fernando still didn’t say anything when the elevator doors slid open and they both got in. Daniel tapped the keycard to the digital port again and the elevator lifted up of its own accord.

It stopped after some time. As the doors slid open and they got out, there was an uproar of barks and the next second Fernando found himself encircled by a gang of hounds, barking and growling at a stranger like him.

"Hey." Fernando smiled, but hid himself behind Daniel. He normally was an animal-lover especially when it came to dogs, but you couldn't just express your love to every dog particularly when they're not yours.

"They won't bite if you don't frighten them first," Daniel assured and squatted down, a Labrador Retriever licked his face then others followed. Their tails wagged overzealously, barks and growls were changed to whimpers as their focuses were averted to the Dane, leaving Fernando being ignorant.

"Who take care of these gangsters when you’re away?" The Spaniard asked upon seeing how many they were. And seriously, that ‘just an apartment’ Daniel was talking about was actually a penthouse with a large kitchen area, spacious living room, and spectacular view of Copenhagen down below, as far as Fernando could see from here.

Hell, why had he never been told Daniel was this rich?!

"My sister. She'll drop by before and after work to feed them. She lives near." The Dane was still busily grappling with a Siberian Husky.

"Will she drop by today?" Fernando suddenly seemed daunted by that information. "Will she be okay seeing me here?"

"Of course!" Daniel replied, thinking about teasing the Spaniard that as he'd said before, Fernando wasn't the first boy he'd brought here so be heartened that nobody's gonna raise any question about it. But Daniel resisted in time, he absolutely doesn't want to activate Fernando's possessive mode right now, does he?

"I wanna touch them, too." Fernando’s thought's now sidetracked, he’s envious seeing Daniel petting, tickling up to manhandling the dogs.

"Let them get familiar with you first." Daniel stood up and strode across the living room with underlings trailing after.

He stopped at the counter and raked the pile of envelopes on it, reading from where and who they’d come then stopped short at a letter.

"What's it?" Fernando asked as noticing Daniel's slightly altered countenance.

"Hmm, nothing. Let’s put the luggage in my bedroom." Ambling to the other side of the penthouse with his bag until reaching a door, he opened it and all his dogs immediately darted in faster than any human's speed.

Daniel walked in slowly and threw his luggage onto the bed carelessly, his attention solely focused on that mail at the moment. Fernando sauntered in and instantaneously forgot to breathe.

The room was wide, with a king-size bed on the left, three wardrobes and an en-suite bathroom. There’re also a large bookshelf and a working table, camera lens in various sizes were scattered on it as well as other camera gears like filters, tripods and things Fernando didn’t know what they're called. There's also a very big world map covering half of the wall on one side, but all of those weren't the reason Fernando's rooted to the spot right now.

On one side of the wall, the side opposite Daniel's bed where he would definitely see the instant he wakes up every morning, there’s a photo, very large one, so large that it took the whole wall and made the world map suddenly looked like an amateur. That photo was him, Fernando Torres, in close up. In it he's lying on a fibreglass floor, at that time when they're on the yacht in Ibiza. His blond hair which was longer than he had now was slightly wavered by the wind and he's looking straight at the camera with resolute, imperceptibly defiant, brown eyes.

That was real large, his real face was like ten times smaller than the one in that portrait.

Fernando spun around. "Daniel, what's this?" His voice was dry and he heard those hounds barking again, but both his voice and the dogs' noises couldn't divert Daniel off his own absorption.

"Fernando," Daniel's voice was dry, too, he seemed so excited until he couldn't control himself. With a letter in hand and eyes kept skimming it, he strode forward, thrust that piece of paper in the Spaniard's hand.

Fernando flipped it, it's also his picture, this one with the violet of lavender field and the orange of the Provence sunset as a background. Fernando in that picture was concentrating on something in his hand, maybe a sprig, while walking through the field. He didn't look at the camera; it's a sneaky shot. But his countenance, lights, shades and all elements in that photograph were combined so flawlessly and looked so surreal that Fernando didn't even realize he'd been holding his breath looking at it, once again.

"Fernando," Daniel almost shouted in delight, his hands clasped the Spaniard's waist and suddenly lifted him up. Fernando yelped in surprise and the dogs barked louder. He held onto the Dane's shoulder but Daniel's firm grip didn't seem to let him down when he whirled them around and around in exhilaration.

"Fernando, I won, I won!" He yelled and laughed so happily.

"Daniel, wait. You won, what? Danny, I'm dizzy. Put me down."

So Daniel spun them around one last round then threw them both onto the bed. He straddled the Spaniard who's now lying stiff from too many surprises. "That picture of you," Daniel panted, locking his full-of-excitement eyes with Fernando's confounded ones. "I won the Sony World Photography Award in Fantasy category because of that picture of you. The winner prize is 30,000 Euros!"

"What?!" Fernando was so shocked now. A 30,000 Euros, what the fuck?! Daniel couldn't stop smiling and he's still beaming so wide when he murmured and kissed him,

"For Christ's sake, I love you!"

***

"Are you gonna tell your sister or anyone about this?" Fernando asked. They’re alone in the room, dogs were all kicked out. The blonde was lying in bed with his cheek on Daniel's chest like he always did, it's his favourite posture when they're lying together.

"About you? Of course," Daniel replied, his fingers twirled those blond hairs absentmindedly.

"No, I mean, that you won that photo competition," Fernando corrected.

"Oh, that." Daniel smirked. "Maybe not."

Fernando giggled. "You cheeky bastard." He shifted. "What are you gonna do with that money?"

"I'll buy a house in Italy, a cute and lovely one near the Mediterranean Sea," Daniel woolgathered, paused, thinking. "Then a yacht, a Riviera one. Then a BMW Z4 roadster to drive along the coastline 'cos I've already test-driven it and I love it very much."

"I don't think a 30,000 Euros will be enough to cover all of your castle-in-the-air." Fernando laughed good-humoredly.

Daniel's bedroom door suddenly open ajar. Fernando startled a bit as a Saint Bernard slid into the room.

"Didn't you lock the door?!" Fernando gasped. “What if your sister comes in?!”

Daniel sounded nonchalant. "No one's gonna break in our privacy."

Fernando pointed at the evidence who's now wagging his tail smugly while squeezing himself in between Daniel and the blonde. "He just did."

"Dogs are exception. Don’t worry, my sister knows best enough to knock before open." Daniel ruffled the Saint Bernard's hair. "And this is Fifa. Fifa, say hi to Fernando."

Fifa yapped, once, like he actually said 'hi'. Fernando laughed animatedly. "What's this?!"

"Fernando," Daniel called out uncertainly.

"Hmm?" The Spaniard gingerly placed his hand on the Saint Bernard's head and was so delighted that Fifa just lay there primly and didn't snack on his hand in return.

"If I actually buy a BMW Z4, a yacht and that house in Italy..." He rolled, lying on his side, looking into Fernando's eyes, hesitation glinted his voice before completely vanished as he uttered the next question, "Would you like to...move there to live with me?"

Fernando was taken by surprise, he stopped petting Fifa. Bewilderment, shock even, flashed in his eyes. They stared at each other like that in silence for a long time, even Fifa seemed to forget to breathe. And when no one budged, Fernando finally whispered, in a dry voice that seemed to directly choke out of the bottom of his heart,

"Daniel, do you have any idea what you have actually just asked me for?"


	54. Act 7: Scandinavia (Chapter 5/5)

"I know."

Daniel's voice was nonchalant. He's looking the Spaniard in the eyes, like to affirm him of his full consciousness. He knew exactly what he just asked and what it could imply. He knew truly that it wasn't so different to a question of ‘Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?’, or simply as 'Would you like to spend the rest of your life with me?'.

Despite his equanimity in appearance, his heart was now racing like it had actually gone insane and butterflies in his stomach were fluttering restlessly again.

Fernando's looking back at him, and his eyes wavered. He pulled his gaze away and now was staring blankly at the Saint Bernard. He looked like he's contemplating, but at the same time looked like his brain was just frozen, too.

"I-I don't know, Daniel," he murmured uncertainly at last.

And with that, Daniel felt like he had just been kicked over to an empty space beyond a precipice and was now falling to the abyss down below at a very dangerous velocity. "Dan, I mean...," Fernando realized what he’d just said and now was shifting nervously. "I didn't mean that I don't want to...live with you. It's just that...it's so sudden and I...I think I need more time to think about it," he blurted out, cheeks flushed red and felt so ashamed.

Daniel slowly exhaled.

"It's okay," he murmured. "Just...take your time."

***

Fernando was quiet all afternoon. Daniel wished he's mulling over the ‘proposal’, but he actually didn't know what Fernando was thinking, maybe about Sergio, despite the Spaniard's word that they’d already broken up, which he wasn’t even sure whether it’s truth or lie. The thought prickled Daniel to the bottom of his heart. Sergio and Fernando had been together for a fucking long time, even if they actually broke up, it's possible that they still kept in touch. And if that's what it was, maybe that's what deterred the Spaniard from leaving London.

Oh, for Christ's sake, Agger! Daniel gritted his teeth. Stop being a paranoid pussy!

"What about my job?" Fernando asked all of a sudden. He's lying on Daniel's bed while the Dane unpacked silently.

"Quit it," he answered resolutely. The blonde was silent yet again.

"And what about your family?" He blurted out ten minutes later, still lying and staring at the ceiling.

"Fernando, I'm twenty-nine." Daniel sighed and Fernando didn't reply anything once again.

Daniel's sister came that evening to check whether yet her brother had been back. They ordered dinner from a restaurant down the building and had it together. Her name was Stephanie, and after a-while chat, she and Fernando seemed to get along really well. The girl was talkative and conversations at the table went with Fernando mostly answering questions which were incessantly pelted at him: about their Norwegian coastal voyage trip, his life in London, his hometown Madrid, and everything else. The atmosphere was cozy yet Daniel didn't know why he felt like he's empty, both literally and figuratively because he didn't have any appetite at all.

After dinner, Stephanie bid them goodbye and they turned back to silent mode. Fernando still didn't talk to him and Daniel's stressful now. Sitting in the couch in the living room, the Spaniard browsed through channels on the telly without actually watching them. After a while, putting the remote control down, he looked so pensive as snatching his BlackBerry mobile from the table. He called someone, maybe Sergio (in the worst case) and chatted in Spanish which Daniel could comprehend only 'hola' and ‘gracias'.

What the fuck is this shit?! He needs distractions right fucking now!

"I'll go swimming." He sprang up and strode towards his bedroom, raked the wardrobe for board shorts then stormed out of the apartment disturbedly.

A swimming pool was on the rooftop, outdoor. There's no one around and that's what Daniel desperately wanted at this minute. The water was dark and lights were dim under Copenhagen's night sky. Daniel roughly changed in the restroom then plunged into the water.

The chlorinated water was warm but he still felt that it's so cold. The Dane swam from one side to the other, back and forth, round after round. He counted at first but slowly lost track of it. He felt exhausted from the ceaseless exercise but ignored the feeling and kept on. And for Christ's sake, how come after all this pushing, Fernando's face still pestered his mind?!

Perceptible movements from the direction of the entrance to the pool disturbed the stillness of lights and shadows. Daniel spun around, someone had just stepped into his whimsical night's privacy, and found his heart hammering like it's about to jump out of his chest, maybe because of exertion, but also maybe because Fernando's there.

The Spaniard ambled towards the pool. Despite dim lights, Daniel could discern the blonde’s features so clearly. Their eyes locked, a bit defiantly. Reaching the edge of the pool, he stopped to take his shirt off then threw it carelessly on the floor. Daniel only caught a glimpse of the Spaniard in board shorts - Daniel's board shorts, Fernando must have snatched them from his wardrobe - before he plunged into the pool.

Instantly, Daniel dove, swam to the blonde under the water. When they reached each other, Fernando grabbed the Dane's face with both hands and crushed those sweetest lips on his.

Daniel's mind was white blank as he kissed him back. They were pushed towards the surface now yet still interminably and hungrily kissing each other. When they finally broke apart, it's almost a good full two minutes later, Fernando's arms clung to the Dane's shoulder, legs also hooked around the other's waist. Daniel panted while Fernando patched his forehead to the Dane's, gasping for air, too.

"I've never been to Italy," the Spaniard murmured, the tip of his nose brushed against Daniel's.

"You'll love it. The food is superb. And they have gelato, I know you love ice-cream," the Dane muttered back, arms draped around the Spaniard's torso.

"I can't speak Italian, too," the blonde mumbled, nose gliding the Dane's cheek.

"I don't think it's that different from Spanish." Daniel snickered while brushing Fernando’s dripping blond hair off his forehead. "I'm always confused between both." And Fernando giggled, too.

"We've never actually lived together for more than twenty days." His lips paused at the corner of Daniel's mouth. "Maybe you'll not be able to tolerate me if we have to see each other 365 days a year." And Daniel laughed.

"You know I'd trade everything to tolerate you every single day for the rest of my life." He rubbed the Spaniard's hips fondly. "How about you? Will you be able to tolerate me?"

Fernando's silent for a minute and that almost made Daniel's heart stop beating. And when he answered "I don't know," whisperingly, it immediately sent the Dane collapse with disillusionment. But then Fernando snickered, pressing his own body flat against the other's. "That's why I've got a deal for you," he whispered against Daniel's mouth as their lips brushed again, and Daniel's so relieved realizing that Fernando was only teasing. "You'll move to London to live with me for...let's say six months. And if we're still good after that...," he giggled good-humoredly, "We can go on with your plan."

Daniel's heart actually raced like crazy now. "I also have one more condition," the Spaniard continued. "If we could actually get past those six months, I'll be the one who chooses the house, and it has to be in Campania."

Daniel laughed euphorically. "I thought you've never been to Italy."

Fernando shrugged. "I just heard that it's nice over there.” He breathed in deeply. “Maybe Sorrento, yeah?"

The Dane guffawed again. "Okay."

Smiling sweetly, the blonde mumbled while leaning in until their lips touched. "So, deal?"

Daniel chuckled, he thought he'd never been this elated before in his life. So he kissed the Spaniard fully on the lips while murmuring in supreme ecstasy,

"Deal."

 


	55. Epilogue

Fernando was walking along Viale Nizza. The weather was a bit chilly yet the sun started to shine again after dull months of winter. Spring was on the way and Fernando was chipper that weather would get better and better and they could actually sail their 'Merseyside' yacht, which Daniel bought second-handed from Steven, in Bay of Naples.

He arrived at a grocery store near his house - ‘their’ house, actually. The grocer remembered him so he smiled at him cordially. He spoke some Italians which the blonde didn't quite understand, yet that required training sessions and he wasn’t in a rush anyway. He bought vegetables, fruits and spices which were running out of his kitchen, then bid him goodbye, 'Ciao, gracias,' before walking towards a butcher shop nearby.

He went home with hands full of bags, all of them contained edible stuff. Their house was a tiny yellow two-story domicile on the cliff with its back to Bay of Naples fifty metres below. As he opened the door, barks were heard all over the confined space before a gang of dogs ran into him. Once they saw that it’s Fernando, growls were converted to whimpers and wagging tails. The Spaniard smiled.

“Hi, fellas,” he greeted all of them: a Labrador Retriever, Siberian Husky, Saint Bernard, and others, Daniel’s not-so-small pack which was moved with them here. They regarded Fernando as their mate now.

Getting into the kitchen, the blonde washed his hands then unpacked what he'd just bought. The dogs scattered, bothered him no more. Chopping onions, red and green peppers, garlic and flat-leaf parsley, he mashed tomatoes into puree and prepared prawns, squids and mussels. Heating extra virgin olive oil in a pan, he cooked it with chopped vegetables he’d prepared then added pureed tomatoes and paprika. While cooking the ‘Sofrito’ sauce, he also turned to set a saucepan for boiling mussel and another pan for frying prawn and squid.

He was in the middle of frying Bomba rice with the sauce when his mobile rang.

It's Daniel.

"Hey," Fernando clamped the phone in between his cheek and shoulder and kept on panning paella.

"Would you like to come to Naples?" Daniel's voice was conveyed through the line. "I’d already booked a nice restaurant in Santa Lucia at seven."

Fernando snarled, "No!"

Daniel was taken aback, Fernando could tell by his sudden silence. "Why? What's wrong, honey?" His voice was uncertain.

"You come back here!" Daniel's now working full-time as a photographer at an agency in Naples, and he should finish by six. Overtime was out of the question today, on a special occasion like this, all bosses should know their limits.

Daniel was silent for a moment. "Okay," he relented. "Out in ten minutes, babe. See you at home." And he hung up.

Fernando put his phone back on the table and averted his attention back to the cooking. It took 45 minutes by train from Naples to Sorrento or 30 minutes by hydrofoil. Either way, he still had ample time.

***

When Daniel arrived, it's almost seven o’clock. Commuting by hydrofoil was more convenient though Sorrento and Naples was 50 kilometers apart. Yet sometimes when he felt like it, he would indulge himself in driving the BMW Z4 roadster to work which would be a bit slower because of the Italian notorious traffic jam.

As he opened the door, mouthwatering scents of food hit him. The Dane smiled widely.

The Dane walked towards the dining room. Fernando wasn't there, as well as all his dogs, the Spaniard might have locked them up in the guest room so they could really spend time alone together without them badgering about. The corner of Daniel’s lips twisted up as he noticed there were food on the table: Spanish food, there were paella, that one he knew, grilled eggplant in tomato vinaigrette, garlic shrimp, and a bottle of wine.

Daniel gingerly stepped closer, there's also a rectangular box next to the wine. Letters written on it read 'Gucci' and its shape was flat and long that Daniel knew at first glance what was inside.

He opened the lid, a brand new golden brown necktie laid there nonchalantly.

"For you," Fernando's voice came from the door to the kitchen. Daniel looked up and smiled.

"Hey, honey."

The Spaniard strode forward until he’s standing in front of the Dane. Taking the necktie off the box, he slung it around Daniel's neck.

"You know I hate necktie," the Dane murmured teasingly, Fernando snickered.

"You know you like it when I knot it for you," he shot back, finishing with the tie. It looked so neat and congruent with the Dane’s simple Armani's white shirt. The Spaniard leaned in and whispered against Daniel's lips, "Happy Valentine's Day, baby."

Daniel laughed, his hands clasped Fernando's waist. "Thanks." He pecked the blonde on the cheek, it's the first Valentine's Day they'd actually spent together. "I also get you a present." He fished for something in his pocket and came up with a small box, written on it was 'BVLGARI'.

"What's this?" Fernando smiled, his arms still clung to Daniel’s body and the Dane couldn't help but placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Open it," he murmured against that soft freckly skin. Fernando took the box off Daniel's hand and unbound the ribbon.

Inside was a white gold necklace with a small pendant the shape of BVLGARI brand logo.

"It's cute!" Fernando blurted out. Daniel took it off the box and wore it around the Spaniard's neck gently.

"For you, sunshine," he said and kissed Fernando on his neck. "Happy Valentine's Day."

***

"Did you cook these all by yourself?" Daniel didn't buy it. His eyes swept across the table looking at plates of Spanish cuisine doubtfully.

"Daniel, why do you always have to underestimate me?" The Spaniard stomped to his seat and slumped down in it lividly.

"I didn't." Daniel laughed it off. "It's just that you'd never actually cooked anything so-"

"So you think I can't cook," Fernando cut him off, held up the cutleries. "Try them and tell me whether I can cook."

Scooping a morsel of paella up with his fork, Daniel gingerly put it in his mouth. He chewed slowly, swallowed it then said, "Let's hope we don't have diarrhea after this."

"Daniel!" The blonde flung his napkin at him.

***

They chatted, ate and drank. When they finished all the dishes, the tipsy and giggling Fernando held Daniel's hand and led him up the stairs while the Dane's other hand held their glasses and 1990's Sassicaia. Reaching their bedroom, Fernando darted to the mirror.

"I love this necklace." He toyed with the pendant, chipper and ecstatic. Walking up behind him, Daniel draped his arms around the Spaniard from behind.

"But I love you," he said and kissed Fernando on his nape. Feigning his irritation, the blonde spun around.

"Don't you think you should say something like, 'I love this necktie'?" His fingers twirled that Gucci necktie on the Dane's neck as he smiled seductively.

"You know the thing I like is you knotting my necktie, not the necktie itself." Daniel snickered and kissed the chortling Spaniard on the lips this time.

They stumbled backward to the bed. Fernando stripped off the Dane's clothes, and Daniel did the same. He unhurriedly took off the Spaniard's shirt then fumbled with his jeans. Having stripped that rough-fabric pants off Fernando's feet, he bent down to kiss him on the ankle.

Fernando giggled, Daniel's lips nibbled up along the inner-side of his leg, stopping at his knee.

"Daniel, it's ticklish," Fernando moaned but Daniel's wet hot lips kept on gliding up his inner-thigh. The Spaniard jerked when the Dane reached the joint between his thigh and crotch.

"Dan!" He gasped. Daniel gingerly licked Fernando's hardened flesh, smirking.

"Do you like me to put some wine on it?" He teasingly licked the Spaniard's pre-cum from the tip of his cock. Fernando huffed only just thinking of it. He didn't answer so Daniel took it as a yes.

He reached for a glass of wine on the bedside table, there's still some red-brown liquid inside. Daniel attentively poured it onto the Spaniard's crotch. Fernando jolted as the burning fluid drenched his erection, dripping down his shaft to the crevice of his ass. The blonde huffed at the arousing sensation it granted him and the Dane could barely restrain himself despite the calm mien while sipping the rest of Sassicaia off the glass. Then, all of a sudden, Fernando lurched forward, slung his arms around Daniel's neck and hauled him down. Crushing their lips together, he sucked the wine off the Dane's mouth, swept his tongue around the cave, savoring all the taste before pulling away and panting against Daniel's lips, "Stop teasing and fuck me."

Daniel laughed and shifted until he's flat on top of the Spaniard. They kissed, caressing each other's body, Daniel's hand was on Fernando's cock, stroking slowly.

"I have to go to Egypt next month," the Dane whispered against Fernando's lips as aligning the tip of his cock to the blonde's entrance.

"Why?" Fernando gasped, writhing on the sheets when Daniel gradually eased in. It's his most favourite part when they had sex.

It felt like he's fulfilled.

"Work." Daniel's panting, too, as he slowly rocked into the boy. "Valentino will do photoshoots in Egypt for their new ad campaign." He nibbled the Spaniard's neck. "Do you want any souvenir from there?"

"No!" Fernando growled. "Don't you dare taking souvenirs back with you." He rolled over sending Daniel under him.

"What? Why?" The Dane's confused but kept moving his hips in line with Fernando's motion.

"Because I'm your souvenir for life," Fernando hissed. "The one and only, and you know from the bottom of your heart...," he muttered in Daniel's ear, "...that nothing can replace me."

Daniel laughed, rubbing the Spaniard's hips fondly, didn't mind the possessive-bitch mode Fernando's on - he'd gotten used to it long time ago. "I love you for this," he whispered when the blonde leaned in to kiss him. The Spaniard smiled as they closed the distance and became one, yet again.

"But I love you for everything you are…,” he whispered. “…my Danny boy."

 

 

Fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finished!
> 
> Please leave kudos or comments and tell me what you like and don't like about it. I thank you in advance for every feedback. ;)


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